What was the primary purpose of Experiment 2?

• A. To be certain that the supportive observer was truly supportive.
• B. To isolate the reason for adopting a cautious performance style.
• C. To test the effect of an incentive to improve one's performance.
• D. To determine the relevance of friendship to the audience effect.

Answer: (D)

The primary purpose of Experiment 2 was to determine the relevance of friendship to the audience effect, which explores how the presence and nature of observers can influence an individual's performance. This option connects directly to the hypothesis being tested, specifically looking at the dynamics between friends and how that relationship might alter the way a participant behaves in the presence of an audience. Understanding the importance of friendship in this context helps to clarify how social relationships can impact performance outcomes, making it a key focus of the experiment.

In contrast, other options revolve around different aspects such as ensuring the supportive nature of the observer or isolating factors related to cautious performance styles, which may not be the central focus of the experiment. Testing incentives, while relevant to performance, does not directly address the relationship between the audience's identity and the observer's effect on performance, thus making them less aligned with the main aim of Experiment 2.