This study was an experimental research on social facilitation with the intention to analyze the effects of the presence of other persons on the motor skill performance of mentally retarded students and non-disabled students. The purpose of this study...
This study was an experimental research on social facilitation with the intention to analyze the effects of the presence of other persons on the motor skill performance of mentally retarded students and non-disabled students. The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for devising methods to minimize anxiety-causing factors that may occur in mentally retarded students when they perform motor skills. This study results were as follows; First, in the case of accurate throwing tasks, mentally retarded students(elementary) showed higher levels of performance when fewer other persons were present and at a further distance from the said persons and also if the other persons were of the same gender. In contrast, non-disabled students showed higher performance levels when other persons were closer to them.
Secondly, in the balance tasks, mentally retarded students(elementary) presented higher levels of performance in the presence of fewer other persons who were at a further distance from them and of the same gender. In contrast, non-disabled students showed higher performance levels when other persons were closer to them.
Thus, social facilitation of mentally retarded student was adversely affected when they had higher levels of consciousness toward other persons. Younger chronological ages are shown to be more adversely affected by the presence of other persons.
In conclusion, a more practically integrated education should be designed and implemented to minimize the adverse effect of social facilitation experienced in motor skill performance by mentally retarded students. In addition, more consideration should be taken of the number of other persons present, the distances between them and the gender in designing internal and external class learning activities for mentally retarded students.