Social facilitation is a psychological phenomenon where an individual's performance on a task is influenced by the presence of others. When people are observed or evaluated by others, they often perform better on simple or well-practiced tasks, while their performance may decline on complex or new tasks. This effect is attributed to increased arousal and motivation in social settings. The concept of social facilitation was first studied by psychologist Norman Triplett in the late 19th century. His research showed that cyclists performed better when racing against others than when riding alone. This idea has since been explored in various contexts, including sports, education, and workplace environments.