Social loafing

Revision as of 17:08, 13 February 2022

developed by Julian Schmidt

Abstract

The concept of social loafing describes the phenomenon which leads to the reduction of the individual contribution to a collective effort, compared to the effort an individual makes when working alone.^[1] Resulting from this effect a group can often times not fulfil its full potential, and the overall performance is reduced. While the phenomenon was initially described by French researcher Max Ringelmann in the early twentieth century, the term social loafing was introduced by Bibb Latané, et al., in 1979.^[2] In the following decades the topic has been covered in research by a broad spectrum of perspectives, which have produced a multitude of theories for causes and mitigation techniques.

Overview of social loafing

Research

Historical considerations, experiments

Observations

Gender and cultural aspects

Examples

Theoretical discussion

"Cause 1" (Name)

"Cause 2" (Name)

"Cause 3" (Name)

Mitigation

"Strategy 1" (Name)

"Strategy 2" (Name)

"Strategy 3" (Name)

Limitations

Annotated Bibliography

1. Project Management Institute Inc. (PMI), A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide) – 7th Edition and The Standard for Project Management, Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI), Pennsylvania, 2021.

2. Bruno S. Frey, Margit Osterloh, Successful Management by Motivation: Balancing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Incentives, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2002.

3. E. Deci, R. Flaste, Why We Do What We Do: The Dynamics of personal Autonomy, New York, 1996.

References

1. ↑ Shepperd, J.A. (2001) Social loafing and expectancy-value theory in Multiple Perspectives on the Effects of Evaluation of Performance: Toward an Integratiom. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
2. ↑ Latané, B., Williams, K., Harkins, S., (1979) Many Hands Make Light the Work: The Causes and Consequences of Social Loafing. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.