TOEFL 말하기 Task 3

Social loafing is a phenomenon in which individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This reduction in motivation often occurs because people feel their individual contributions are less identifiable or less critical to the overall outcome. Social loafing can lower group productivity and is more likely to occur in large groups or when tasks are simple and repetitive. Researchers have studied this effect in various settings, such as workplaces, classrooms, and sports teams, to understand its causes and potential remedies.

Professor: Let me illustrate social loafing with a classic experiment. In one study, participants were asked to clap or shout as loudly as possible. First, they did this alone, and researchers measured their sound intensity. Then, they did the same task in groups of two, four, and six. Interestingly, as group size increased, the sound produced per person decreased significantly. For example, when shouting alone, people produced about 84 decibels, but in a group of six, each person’s average output dropped to about 66 decibels. The participants didn’t shout less because they were tired—they were simply less motivated because they felt their individual effort was less noticeable. This shows that people often reduce effort in groups when their personal contribution is not easily identified.