Final answer:
Social loafing is a term used to describe the behavior of people who exert less effort on a task when working in a group compared to working individually. This behavior occurs because individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. The likelihood of social loafing increases with larger group sizes, but it can be alleviated in certain situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social loafing is the term used to describe people who exert less effort on a task when working in a group than they do when working individually. This behavior occurs because individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group, leading to a decline in performance on easy tasks. Social loafing can be seen in situations such as group projects, where individuals may choose to do less work knowing that the final grade will be shared among all group members. For example, imagine you are assigned a group project where everyone in your group will receive the same grade. Some individuals may choose to do less work, relying on others to pick up the slack. This behavior is known as social loafing and can lead to a decrease in overall group performance. Research has shown that the likelihood of social loafing increases as the size of the group increases. However, social loafing can be alleviated in certain situations, such as when individuals know their work will be evaluated by a manager or instructor, or when group members are required to complete self-evaluations.