Ds 11, 2

Discussion 2: Social Loafing

Brian, a class colleague, is someone who counts on the group’s high achievers to do the majority of the work. This behavior is known as social loafing. Social loafers thrive because they know the high achievers cannot do less than their best; that is precisely what makes them high achievers. Adding to the problem, if it is the group product that is evaluated rather than individual contributions—then Brian will be less motivated to participate. That is why social loafing is rampant in university classrooms where grades are based on the finished group product.

For this Discussion, you examine methods to motivate social loafers. 

To Prepare

• Review the Learning Resources for this week and consider motivation methods that a social psychologist might use to encourage a social loafer to do his or her share.
• Recall a time when you observed social loafing.

By Day 4

Post a situation when you experienced or observed social loafing. Informed by social psychology theory, suggest ways to motivate social loafers to carry their weight.

resource : peer review literature & Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Akert, R. M., & Sommers, S. R. (Eds.). (2019). Social psychology (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

• Chapter 9, “Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups”