Date of Award
8-1996
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Bradley E. Huitema
Second Advisor
Dr. Alyce M. Dickinson
Third Advisor
Dr. Dale Brethower
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
The decrease in individual performance output that occurs when individuals perform a task in groups in which the output is pooled has been labelled social loafing. The purpose of this study was to determine what would happen to the quantity and quality of individual performance in groups when public, individual feedback was present and absent.
An ABCBC experimental design was used. Four subjects worked individually, together in a group without feedback, and in the group in the presence of feedback making widgets out of plastic pop beads. The number of widgets made and the number of widgets made correctly were recorded for each subject.
A small degree of social loafing was found for two subjects for the number of widgets correctly made and for one subject for the number of widgets made. When public, individual feedback was presented, both the quantity of widgets made and the quantity of widgets correctly made increased for all four subjects.
Recommended Citation
Eikenhout, Nelson R., "The Effects of Publicly Displayed Individual Feedback on Social Loafing" (1996). Masters Theses. 5045.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5045