托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'social loafing' refers to the tendency of individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This phenomenon occurs because individuals feel less accountable for the final outcome and believe their contributions are less identifiable. Social loafing can reduce overall group productivity, and researchers have identified several factors that influence its occurrence, such as task complexity and group size.

Professor: Let me give you a classic example from a study. Researchers asked participants to clap or cheer as loudly as possible. First, they did this alone, and then in groups of various sizes. When people thought they were clapping alone, they produced about three times more sound per person than when they believed they were part of a group. Interestingly, when participants were blindfolded and told they were in a group, but actually clapped alone, their effort dropped too—just because they thought others were also clapping. This shows that the mere perception of being in a group reduces individual effort, because people feel their contribution is hidden in the crowd. The researchers also found that when the task was made more challenging or when participants were told their individual output would be measured, the effect disappeared.