托福口语 Task 3

Social loafing is a phenomenon in which individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This occurs because people feel their contributions are less identifiable or less critical to the overall outcome. Social loafing is more likely in large groups, where individual performance is not easily observed, and when tasks are perceived as less meaningful. Researchers have found that this effect can reduce group productivity and motivation.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a real classroom experiment. In a physical education class, the teacher had students do a simple rope-pulling task. First, each student pulled a rope attached to a measuring device, and the teacher recorded their individual maximum strength. Then, the teacher asked the students to pull the same rope together as a group of five, but he did not reveal that the rope was actually not connected to the same device—each student’s pull was measured separately without them knowing. The results showed that when students believed they were pulling as part of a team, their individual effort dropped by about 20% compared to when they pulled alone. They felt less responsible because they assumed others would compensate. This demonstrates social loafing clearly.