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Team Size, Dispersion, and Social Loafing in Technology-Supported Teams: A Perspective on the Theory of Moral Disengagement.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Team Size, Dispersion, and Social Loafing in Technology-Supported Teams: A Perspective on the Theory of Moral Disengagement.
Authors: ALNUAIMI, OMAR A.1 (AUTHOR), ROBERT JR., LIONEL P.2 (AUTHOR), MARUPING, LIKOEBE M.3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Management Information Systems. Summer2010, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p203-230. 28p. 2 Diagrams, 5 Charts.
Subjects: Social loafing, Psychological experiments, Virtual work teams, Brainstorming, Responsibility, Blame
Abstract: The article reports the results of a study which investigated social loafing in a team setting. The study involved 32 teams of students assigned to brainstorming tasks using group systems software. Cognitive mechanisms derived from moral disengagement theory were tested as possible drivers of social loafing behavior. These included attribution of blame, diffusion of responsibility, and dehumanization. All of these correlated with the effect of team size on social loafing, but only dehumanization was found to mediate the effect of dispersion.
Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:The article reports the results of a study which investigated social loafing in a team setting. The study involved 32 teams of students assigned to brainstorming tasks using group systems software. Cognitive mechanisms derived from moral disengagement theory were tested as possible drivers of social loafing behavior. These included attribution of blame, diffusion of responsibility, and dehumanization. All of these correlated with the effect of team size on social loafing, but only dehumanization was found to mediate the effect of dispersion.
ISSN:07421222
DOI:10.2753/MIS0742-1222270109