Social loafing refers to the concept that people are prone to exert less effort when working collectively as part of a group compared to performing a task alone.
What are examples of social loafing?
Tug of war, group homework projects, and an entertainer asking an audience to scream are all examples of social loafing because as you add more people to a group, the total group effort declines. Tug of War is the perfect example because it's where Maximillian Ringelmann originally found it.
Is social loafing bad?
Social loafing creates a negative impact on the performance of the group and thus slowing down the productivity of the whole organization. Leads to Poor Team Spirit: If few members become lazy and reluctant, making the least contribution in the group, the whole team feels demotivated and demoralized.