Kunnskap om fenomenet sosial loffing og gruppeprestasjon

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether knowledge of the social loafing phenomenon affects motivational loss and individual effort reduction in groups. 27 participants aged 17-25 years completed two test sessions, in each of which they performed two maximal cycle time trials; one of relatively short duration (one minute) and one of relatively long duration (three minutes). The participants completed the first test session under individual conditions in which their individual performance was measured. Prior to the second test session, the participants in the intervention group were informed of the social loafing phenomenon. Participants in the control group were given no such information. Participants completed the second test session in teams of three or four people, and was informed that it was only the team`s overall performance that was measured. It was hypothesized that participants in the control group would engage in social loafing, and ride shorter (measured in meters) during the team condition compared to the individual condition, while participants in the intervention group would maintain their performance, and ride equally well (measured in meters) during the team condition as the individual condition. The results of the study shows no significant reduction in distance covered during the team condition compared to the individual condition for neither the intervention nor the control group. The results indicate that group work in this study did not contribute to motivational loss and individual effort reduction. Based on the absence of social loafing, the hypotheses can neither be confirmed nor disproved. Further research related to knowledge about the social loafing phenomenon and performance should be conducted in contexts where it is ensured for conditions that cause an element of social loafing. Key words: Social loafing, group work, motivational loss, effort reduction, performance, knowledge.