Which of the following individuals best demonstrates the concept of social loafing?

• A. An employee who increases their productivity when being observed by a supervisor
• B. A student who works harder when competing individually against others
• C. A member of a group project who puts in less effort because they believe others will pick up the slack
• D. A team leader who motivates everyone to contribute equally

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of social loafing: it refers to the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group compared to when working alone, often because they believe others will compensate for their reduced effort.
2. Analyze each option by identifying whether the behavior shows reduced effort in a group setting due to diffusion of responsibility or not.
3. Option 1 describes increased productivity when observed, which is related to social facilitation, not social loafing.
4. Option 2 involves working harder when competing individually, which is the opposite of social loafing since the person is motivated to perform better alone.
5. Option 3 describes a group member putting in less effort because they expect others to pick up the slack, which directly illustrates social loafing.