Staffing theory focused on the idea that when there are fewer people available for a number of behavior settings, there is pressure on individuals to take on responsibilities.
[2] Synomorphy, which is the degree of fit between a behavior setting and the individuals within it, is an important concept for understanding Staffing Theory.
When a place is high in synomorphy, the number of people and the types of tasks being performed match what the behavior setting provides, and the individuals can achieve maximum productivity.
[3] The ideas that led to the development of staffing theory came primarily from Roger Barker and Paul Gump, who were researchers stationed at the University of Kansas.
[2]: 48 Barker and Gump examined the relationship between school size and number of extra curricular activities reported by graduating Seniors.
Following in the footsteps of Robert Barker and Paul Gump, Wicker also looked closely at behavior settings and number of staff.
He found that small schools offered more behavior settings relative to population (understaffing), which Barker and Gump assessed as having more beneficial experiences.
In both small and large schools, Wicker showed that members who were engaged in leadership roles would report a more positive experience.
With the understanding that as overstaffing increases, the amount of individual responsibility decreases, we can see other sorts of group dynamic processes take effect such as social loafing.