Mealey, Laura Jane
1.28 MB of textual records (PDF)
Audience: Undergraduate. -- Dissertation: Thesis (B. A.). -- Algoma University, 1990. -- Submitted in partial fulfillment of course requirements for PSYC 4105. -- Includes figures. -- Contents: Literature review / Thesis.
Social loafing is the finding that individuals put out less effort in a group than when working alone. This effect can be ameliorated by increasing the individual's motivation. Feedback has been used successfully as a motivator in performance-oriented settings but not in the social loafing paradigm. To test the hypothesis that feedback would moderate the social loafing effect, a 2 (non pooled vs. pooled) x 4 (quality, quantity, both, no feedback) factorial design was used. Accuracy and latency scores within four person groups were compared across feedback conditions in a letter reversal task using undergraduate university students. Feedback types had a differential effect on groups and individuals whereas the social loafing replication showed no significant differences. Latency was a more sensitive measure than accuracy and this was explained in terms of the ease of the task. Applications to the area of sport psychology are discussed.