Doctor Thompson
PSY 370z6
23 January 2015
Social Loafing Our text defines social loafing as “a tendency for people to exert less effort when they pool their efforts toward a common goal than when they are individually accountable.” Social loafing, a term I am new to, but know all too well, is the reason I hate group projects. Well, I take that back, let me clarify, I hate doing group projects when I am placed in a group of people that I know will not try as hard as I. I work with social loafers all day, every day. I call them middle school-ers. Often time teachers put students into groups for projects and I can see the displeasure in so many faces when they don’t get to pic their own partners. I think social loafing, or slacking off happens more often when there is a lack of communication I the group. If someone does not assert themselves as a leader and delegate work and timelines, then standards tend to drop and frustrations rise. On the flip side, I notice that students who are hard workers and care about their grades loaf socially (can I use the term like that?) far less. I feel those students hold themselves to such a high standard, not to mention, they would not want a partner to put some of the load on them, so they don’t do it to others. I can’t say that this is always the case, but most times, it is. I think social loafing is acceptable and sometimes expected in our society. I have a wonderful husband, but, there are definitely aspects of our relationship/partnership where he lacks in certain areas, and I have to pick up the slack. Laundry, cooking, cleaning; he does do it, but not as well as it could be done. But, I am guilty as well. I too exert less effort when we are picking up the yard, shoveling snow, as well as anything sports related. So I suppose I should note that perhaps social loafing should not always be thought of in a