[CoreFailure]

I think there's a more positive interpretation to be found as well.

Think of any type of task that you can get "in the zone", or a "flow state" with. Having an audience that reacts positively to your work can create a positive feedback loop that causes you to do better on the task. You tend to do better at things you enjoy doing.

The opposite can also be true. If you do something you're unfamiliar with, chances are your audience won't react positively to watching you do it. This can create a negative feedback loop that causes you to do worse. (I think this is changing though, with the advent of "Let's Play"s, streaming culture, and the voyeuristic enjoyment of watching someone improve at something over time).