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What is social loafing?

PsychologyLesson on requestFree to read

Quick answer

Social loafing is the tendency to put in less effort when working in a group than when working alone. Because individual contributions feel less visible, people may unconsciously coast — which is why large teams can underperform without clear accountability.

Key things to understand

  1. People exert less effort in groups than alone.
  2. It happens when individual effort feels invisible.
  3. It grows as group size increases.
  4. Clear roles and accountability reduce it.

People also ask

What is social loafing?
The tendency to work less hard in a group because individual effort feels less noticeable.
Why does social loafing happen?
When contributions aren't individually visible, people feel less personally responsible for the outcome.
How do you prevent social loafing?
Assign clear individual roles, set accountability, and keep teams an appropriate size.