Question

kevin hates when his professor assigns group work. it has been his experience that when he's in a group he is the only one that really works on the project with most of the others doing very little but wanting to take credit. kevin has learned that adding more people to a project doesn't make the individuals in the group work harder; indeed, it seems to have the opposite effect. what's operating here?

Answer 1

The behavior described, where some individuals do very little work in a group project while others do most of the work, is an example of the free rider problem. Strategies like the flocking method and the complexity of the task can influence individual motivation and reduce social loafing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The behavior described, where some individuals do very little work in a group project while others do most of the work, is an example of a collective action problem known as the free rider problem. In this situation, individuals realize that they can receive the same grade as the rest of the group without contributing much effort. This creates a disincentive for individuals to work hard because they can benefit from the group's effort without bearing the cost.

To mitigate this issue, some strategies can be implemented, such as flocking method, where students are assigned to groups based on similar schedules and motivations. Research has shown that this approach reduces free riding and leads to better group performance. Additionally, in complex and difficult tasks, individuals may feel motivated to contribute to the group's success, reducing the likelihood of social loafing.