ExpertMedium3 marksExtended Response
AQA GCSE · Question 04 · Social Context and Behaviour
Read the following conversation between two psychology teachers.
Mrs Kaur: I have been thinking about giving my Year 11 students a group project.
Mr Clarke: I won't be doing that with my students because I want to make sure they all take part.
Mrs Kaur: That's why I am going to set the project up so that I can easily identify what each student has done.
What is meant by the term 'social loafing'?
Refer to the conversation to support your answer.
Read the following conversation between two psychology teachers.
Mrs Kaur: I have been thinking about giving my Year 11 students a group project.
Mr Clarke: I won't be doing that with my students because I want to make sure they all take part.
Mrs Kaur: That's why I am going to set the project up so that I can easily identify what each student has done.
What is meant by the term 'social loafing'?
Refer to the conversation to support your answer.
How to approach this question
First, provide a clear and concise definition of 'social loafing'. Then, carefully read the conversation and identify parts that relate to your definition. Quote or paraphrase comments from Mr Clarke and Mrs Kaur to show how their concerns and plans illustrate the concept of social loafing and how to prevent it.
Full Answer
Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to put in less effort on a task when they are working in a group compared to when they are working alone. In the conversation, Mr Clarke is worried about social loafing happening in a group project, as he wants to 'make sure they all take part', implying some might not. Mrs Kaur plans to prevent social loafing by setting up the project so she can 'easily identify what each student has done', which makes each student individually accountable and less likely to loaf.
Social loafing is a well-documented phenomenon in social psychology. It occurs when individuals' contributions to a group task are pooled, making it difficult to assess individual effort. As a result, people may feel less accountable and rely on others to do the work. Mr Clarke's concern is a classic example of a teacher worrying about social loafing. Mrs Kaur's solution, increasing individual accountability, is a standard method for reducing or eliminating social loafing.
Common mistakes
A common error is to define social loafing correctly but fail to make clear and explicit links to the conversation provided. You must refer to the stimulus material.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Psychology Paper 2
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