What is 'social loafing'?

Social loafing refers to the tendency of individuals to exert less effort when working in a group compared to when they are working alone. This phenomenon occurs because individuals may feel less accountable for the collective outcome and believe that their personal contributions are less critical to the overall success of the task. As a result, they might take advantage of the group setting, leading to a decrease in individual effort.

This behavior is often observed in larger groups, where it becomes easier for members to hide their lack of contribution behind the greater efforts of others. It contrasts with individual work, where personal responsibility and effort are more directly linked to the outcomes of one's actions. Thus, social loafing highlights a key dynamic in group work environments and emphasizes the importance of structuring group tasks to minimize this tendency, such as establishing clear roles and responsibilities for each member.