托福口语 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 less accountable for the final outcome and believe their personal contribution is less identifiable. Social loafing can reduce overall group productivity and is more likely to happen in large groups or when tasks are simple and repetitive. Researchers have studied this behavior in various settings, such as workplaces and classrooms, to understand how to minimize its negative effects.

Professor: Today, let’s talk about a classic example of social loafing from a study. Researchers asked participants to clap or shout as loudly as possible. First, each person did it alone, and their sound level was measured. Then, they did it in groups of two, four, and six. What do you think happened? As group size increased, the sound produced per person actually decreased. For example, when shouting alone, a person produced about 80 decibels. But in a group of six, each person’s contribution dropped to about 60 decibels. Why? Because individuals felt their effort was hidden in the crowd, so they didn’t try as hard. They thought, “My part won’t matter much anyway.” This shows that social loafing can happen even in simple physical tasks, not just in complex projects.