1. Definition The tendency to become less productive in groups was first documented by Max Ringelmann, a French agricultural engineer, in 1913. According to Steiner (as cited in Forsyth, 2014), when Ringelmann had individuals and groups pull on a rope attached to pressure gauge, groups performed below their predicted potential productivity. More so, the efficiency loss increases as group size increases. This reduction of individual effort exerted when people work in groups compared to when they work alone was known today as social loafing. This term was coined by Bibb Latane, Kipling Williams, and Stephen Harkins in 1981. Consistent with Ringelmann effect, they found out those groups of participants in the experiment made more noise than
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One of those is having a trivial project. According to Hassan (as cited in Davoudi, Oraji and Kaur , 2012), if the group members do not see the essence of the project, they will not work efficiently. Lack of motivation as well as lack of fair reward system also causes social loafing. Group members exert a less amount of effort when they are unmotivated and when they do not expected to be recognized and rewarded. In addition, absence of evaluation is also one of the reasons why loafing begins and is strengthened. William et al (as cited in McAvoy and Butler, 2009), social loafing tend to increase when the evaluation of the project is based on team, rather on individual performance. Other factors that were enumerated by Hassan (2010) are group incoherence, sub maximal goal setting, equitable contribution and non- cohesive group. Lastly, lessened contingency between input and outcome also contribute to social loafing. According to Davoudi, Oraji and Kaur (2012), when many individuals are contributing in the group work, other group members might feel that their efforts are not …show more content…
The tendency that social loafing increases as the group size increases was first observed by Ringelmann. He concluded that when more and more people were added, the group became increasingly inefficient (Forsyth, 2014). According to Karau and Williams (as cited in Durso, 2007), social loafing is a phenomenon in which group size is detrimental to the output of the group. In addition, they contended that the effort displayed by individual group members is inversely proportional to the group size. This leads to the reduction of group work’s output as well as productivity. More so, individual indistinctness or anonymity also increases as the group size increases. Jones (as cited in Liden, Wayne, Jaworski, and Bennett, 2004) claimed that assessment of each individual’s contribution is difficult due to increase in anonymity, thus leading to reduction of average individual’s effort. In relation with that, difficulty in encouraging and monitoring individuals takes place as the group size increases which also contribute to social loafing (Liden, Wayne, Jaworski, and Bennett,
One of those is having a trivial project. According to Hassan (as cited in Davoudi, Oraji and Kaur , 2012), if the group members do not see the essence of the project, they will not work efficiently. Lack of motivation as well as lack of fair reward system also causes social loafing. Group members exert a less amount of effort when they are unmotivated and when they do not expected to be recognized and rewarded. In addition, absence of evaluation is also one of the reasons why loafing begins and is strengthened. William et al (as cited in McAvoy and Butler, 2009), social loafing tend to increase when the evaluation of the project is based on team, rather on individual performance. Other factors that were enumerated by Hassan (2010) are group incoherence, sub maximal goal setting, equitable contribution and non- cohesive group. Lastly, lessened contingency between input and outcome also contribute to social loafing. According to Davoudi, Oraji and Kaur (2012), when many individuals are contributing in the group work, other group members might feel that their efforts are not …show more content…
The tendency that social loafing increases as the group size increases was first observed by Ringelmann. He concluded that when more and more people were added, the group became increasingly inefficient (Forsyth, 2014). According to Karau and Williams (as cited in Durso, 2007), social loafing is a phenomenon in which group size is detrimental to the output of the group. In addition, they contended that the effort displayed by individual group members is inversely proportional to the group size. This leads to the reduction of group work’s output as well as productivity. More so, individual indistinctness or anonymity also increases as the group size increases. Jones (as cited in Liden, Wayne, Jaworski, and Bennett, 2004) claimed that assessment of each individual’s contribution is difficult due to increase in anonymity, thus leading to reduction of average individual’s effort. In relation with that, difficulty in encouraging and monitoring individuals takes place as the group size increases which also contribute to social loafing (Liden, Wayne, Jaworski, and Bennett,