Question

The tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group compared to working individually is known as:

• A. Group Polarization
• B. Social Loafing
• C. Conformity
• D. Social Facilitation

Hint:

Social Loafing = "Less effort in groups than when working alone."

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Social Loafing refers to the tendency of individuals to reduce their effort when they work as part of a group compared to when they work alone. This phenomenon was first observed when people exerted less effort while pulling a rope in a group than when pulling individually.

Step 1: Understand Social Loafing. When people work in groups, individual responsibility becomes less visible. As a result:
• People may rely on others.
• Individual contribution becomes difficult to evaluate.
• Motivation to work hard may decrease.

Step 2: Differentiate from other concepts.
• Group Polarization – Group discussion leads to more extreme decisions.
• Conformity – Changing behavior to match group norms.
• Social Facilitation – Improved performance due to the presence of others.
• Social Loafing – Reduced effort in group tasks.

Step 3: Match the definition. The question states that people put in less effort while working in groups. This is exactly the definition of: \[ \boxed{\text{Social Loafing}} \] Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{(B) Social Loafing}} \]