TOEFL Speaking Task 3

Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This phenomenon occurs because individuals feel less personally accountable for the group's outcome, and they may perceive their own contribution as dispensable. Research shows that social loafing can reduce overall group productivity and is more likely to occur in large groups or when tasks are simple and repetitive. However, when tasks are challenging or when individual contributions are clearly identifiable, social loafing tends to diminish.

Professor: Now, let me give you an example from a study I conducted with my students. I asked two groups of volunteers to clap and shout as loudly as possible. In the first group, each person was blindfolded and wore headphones with loud noise, so they couldn't hear others. In the second group, people could see and hear each other clearly. I measured the noise level. When people thought they were clapping alone, they produced much louder sounds—about three times louder—than when they believed they were part of a group. In the second group, where everyone could see and hear each other, the noise level per person dropped significantly. Why? Because individuals felt less responsible for the final output—they assumed others would make up for their lack of effort. This perfectly illustrates social loafing in a real, measurable situation.