Gender Differences in Social Loafing: A Reconsideration of the Problem

Abstract

The paper discusses the problem of gender differences in social loafing, describes the existing positions, and provides a critical analysis of the results of empirical studies of social loafing and of their interpretations. The aim is to develop an unbiased view of gender differences in social loafing. Based on their theoretical review and critical analysis, the authors make several conclusion. First, the question of existence of gender differences in social loafing can not be given a definite answer at present, because the issue has not been studied sufficiently. The existing empirical studies demonstrate contradictory results, are limited to only a few countries, certain age groups, and use stimuli of certain limited type. Second, the prevailing position in the literature that suggests higher social loafing in males, compared to females, may be simply a result of gender stereotypes. Third, the interpretation given in several empirical studies of social loafing (that females are more inclined to cooperative behavior, and males tend to behave in competitive ways) can also be seen as an expression of gender stereotypes. Fourth, the ubiquity of gender stereotypes in psychological literature may have a negative effect on future research of gender differences in social loafing, as researchers may not be interested in studying an issue that already seems “clear” to them.