TY - JOUR

T1 - Social loafing in the refugee crisis

T2 - Information about existing initiatives decreases willingness to help

AU - Schindler, Simon

AU - Reese, Gerhard

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank Laura Bräuer, Rebekka Franz, and Jessica Kny for their assistance in data collection. The costs of publishing open access were covered by the University of Kassel. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 by the author; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2017/6

Y1 - 2017/6

N2 - In light of the European refugee situation, we investigate how information about others’ support influences individuals’ willingness to help. When individuals see information about other people supporting refugees, they may either be influenced by a descriptive norm, and act accordingly. Alternatively, they may perceive that others are already doing the job, and thus engage in social loafing. In an experiment (N = 132), we tested these competing predictions. Specifically, participants were exposed to a map of Germany that either indicated many or few helping initiatives across the country. In a control group, no map was shown. Subsequently, participants were asked about their willingness to help. While there was no effect between the two map conditions, results revealed that participants reported lower willingness to help in both map conditions, compared with the control group. Thus, providing information about helping projects results in social loafing, jeopardizing widespread communication strategies to increase solidarity.

AB - In light of the European refugee situation, we investigate how information about others’ support influences individuals’ willingness to help. When individuals see information about other people supporting refugees, they may either be influenced by a descriptive norm, and act accordingly. Alternatively, they may perceive that others are already doing the job, and thus engage in social loafing. In an experiment (N = 132), we tested these competing predictions. Specifically, participants were exposed to a map of Germany that either indicated many or few helping initiatives across the country. In a control group, no map was shown. Subsequently, participants were asked about their willingness to help. While there was no effect between the two map conditions, results revealed that participants reported lower willingness to help in both map conditions, compared with the control group. Thus, providing information about helping projects results in social loafing, jeopardizing widespread communication strategies to increase solidarity.

KW - Descriptive norms

KW - Helping behavior

KW - Media

KW - Refugees

KW - Social loafing

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088854505&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/5fe3fc64-1b0b-370e-9668-8f8bf96f52d7/

U2 - 10.3390/soc7020013

DO - 10.3390/soc7020013

M3 - Comments / Debate / Reports

AN - SCOPUS:85088854505

VL - 7

JO - Societies

JF - Societies

SN - 2075-4698

IS - 2

M1 - 13

ER -