In our readings for this week, I thought that Latane’s “Many Hands Make Light the Work” study was really interesting. I had noticed social loafing at my work this summer based on how many people showed up to work to plant to trees at the Superfund. It was a large-scale planting job and so depending on what phase of the work we were in there could be anywhere from 30-80 workers onsite during the day. We had several crews working at a time and the crews could have anywhere from 8-20 people on them depending on the day. Each person working was given a quota of trees to plant every day. Although there wasn’t any repercussion for not planting this many, by the first week into the job most people didn’t have any trouble meeting the quota.
My boss and I were talking one day when production was unusually good and we noticed there were fewer workers than normal but individual production was up above any other day that summer. We noticed this again several days later. After that we started trying to predict how good the production would be based on how many workers showed up. The interesting thing was there seemed to be a maximum production per worker when the crew was smaller. Crews around 9 people seemed to plant the most versus a larger crew of around 15. It seemed that when the entire crew was present, the workers felt less motivated knowing that the other worker would pick up the slack and if they didn’t, there would be many others to blame besides themselves. When smaller crews got together, there was less talking and also more focused work. Everyone knew their production for that day mattered more and so they worked harder.
It was really interesting to see that actual studies have proved this phenomenon as well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I also enjoyed that reading for the week. How interesting for you to have gotten to observe the phenomenon firsthand! I like the way you said "there would be many others to blame besides themselves". A very good point to possibly study further when researching why there seems to be less productivity with more people present.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article too. When I hear the phrase ‘many hands make light the work’ I think of the flip side that the beginning of this article mentions. There are times when a community pulls together to get the job done in a more efficient manner that is easier on all participants. In the agriculture community it is commonplace to share tasks such as branding, moving cows, baling hay, etc. amongst neighbors. It doesn’t seem as though social loafing is as prevalent when each person has a vested interest in getting the job done. It would be interesting to see a study based on this thought for comparison.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your real life example of experiencing people social loafing. I think that we all have a tendency to do some sort of social loafing at times especially when we are working on a project with a larger group. At those times, I think that people aren't really aware or admit that they might do some kind of social loafing. I also think that I can even think of examples in my own life where I possibly did some kind of social loafing. I also believe that smaller groups as well as the pressure to get a project done on time can lower social loafing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. That would have been fun to be a part of...maybe next summer!
ReplyDeleteI notice social loafing in many instance in classroom settings as well when grouped up with other people for a project. I have had some very great groups and others I wanted them to contribute a little but do as little as possible so I can do most of the project to get an A. Is it ideal? No. But sometimes you're the one loafing, other times you are the one picking up the slack.
ReplyDelete