TOEFL Speaking Task 3

Social loafing is a phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone. This occurs because people feel their contributions are less identifiable and less critical to the overall outcome, leading to reduced motivation. Social loafing can lower group productivity and is more likely in large groups or when tasks are simple and repetitive.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a study. Researchers asked participants to clap and shout as loudly as possible. First, each person did this alone, and their sound levels were measured. Then, they were asked to do the same in groups of two, four, and six. Interestingly, the noise produced per person dropped as group size increased. For example, when clapping alone, a participant might reach 80 decibels, but in a group of six, each person’s output was only about 60 decibels. The participants didn’t realize they were slacking off—they thought they were still trying hard. But because their individual effort was less noticeable in the crowd, they unconsciously reduced their effort. This clearly demonstrates social loafing in action.