Explicit Prior Knowledge of Social Loafing Does Not Reduce Social Loafing in Subsequent Team Cycle Trial Performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether explicit prior knowledge of the social loafing phenomenon,imparted through a specially designed social loafing awareness module, would reduce subsequent social loafing in a team cycle trial competition. Twenty-seven participants were tested individually for the distance covered in a 1-minute cycle trial and then randomly assigned to either a control (n=13) or intervention (n=14) condition. The intervention group completed a 15-minute social loafing awareness module consisting of a lecture and an educational video. Both groups completed a second 1-minute cycle trial in teams. A 2x2 repeated measures ANOVA identified no interaction or main effects (p<.05), suggesting that the module had not reduced social loafing significan tly in the intervention group. Further research is required that would incorporate identification of the initial levels of knowledge of social loafing and explicitly measure
the increase in social loafing awareness following participation in the intervention module.