Social Loafing
Definition
Social loafing refers to the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working on a task in a group compared to when they work alone.
Analogy
Imagine you're in a tug-of-war team. If you're pulling alone, you'll give it your all. But if you're pulling with others, you might pull less hard because you think others will pick up your slack - that's social loafing!
Related terms
Diffusion of Responsibility: This occurs when people are less likely to take action or feel responsible in a group setting than individually.
Free Rider Problem: A situation where some individuals consume more than their fair share or pay less than their fair share of resources.
Deindividuation: The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in situations that foster arousal and anonymity.
"Social Loafing" appears in:
Practice Questions (9)
Which of the following is the most complete definition of social loafing?
Which of the following best describes how social loafing affects group performance?
What is social loafing in terms of group dynamics?
In what situation does social loafing most likely occur?
What does social loafing imply in the context of psychology?
How would social loafing most likely impact a group project in a high school setting?
What best describes the role social loafing plays in team dynamics?
How might one design an experiment to understand the impact of social loafing within virtual work groups?
Which intervention strategy is most effective for combating social loafing in team projects?
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