Diffusion of responsibility in group work: Social loafing

Abstract

Determining the effect of social loafing behaviors on the performance of individual and group members in the context of group work is considered important. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of social loafing and cyberloafing behaviors on group work. The effect of social loafing and cyberloafing on group studies was examined on the basis of a structural equation model. For this purpose, the study was designed using a causal research design. Using criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, 846 undergraduate students studying at a state university participated in the study. The data of the study were collected using social loafing, cyberloafing, self-evaluation and group evaluation measurement tools. The data of the study were analyzed using t test, correlation analysis, simple linear regression, multiple regression and path analysis. As a result of the analysis of the data, it was seen that individual social loafing, cyberloafing and self-evaluations differed according to gender. In addition, when social loafing, cyberloafing, self-evaluation and group evaluation were analyzed according to group formation, there were statistically significant differences in favor of the student-created groups. Group size was found to be positively correlated with social loafing behaviors, but no significant relationship was found with task visibility. The structural equation model created within the scope of the study was tested with path analysis and it was concluded that individual loafing behaviors had an effect on self-assessment, and that group social loafing behaviors had an effect on group evaluations. Group size and group formation can be taken into consideration in order to make effective and productive group studies in higher education. These results may guide future studies on addressing the factors associated with social loafing in the context of group work, which has an important place in the learning-teaching process.