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Listen to an Academic Talk Test #051
Listen to an Academic Talk
1. What is the main topic of the talk?
A) How to conduct experiments in groups
B) A common reason for reduced individual effort
C) The history of group psychology studies
D) The benefits of working on a team
2. According to the Ringelmann experiment, what happened as group size increased?
A) The total force exerted per person decreased.
B) The group became more coordinated.
C) Each person felt more responsible.
D) The group's performance improved significantly.
3. What can be inferred about individual performance?
A) It is highest when individual contributions are not measured.
B) It is difficult to measure accurately in group settings.
C) It tends to be stronger when a person feels solely responsible.
D) It is not affected by the size of the group.
4. Why does the speaker mention managing team projects?
A) To introduce a different research topic
B) To suggest a practical application of the concept
C) To question the findings of the experiment
D) To provide another example of a group task
Professor: Today we're discussing a common phenomenon in group dynamics called social loafing.
It's the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when they're part of a group than when they're working alone. This was first observed in a famous experiment back in 1913 by a French engineer, Max Ringelmann.
He had people pull on a rope, both individually and in groups. He found that as the group size increased, the total force exerted by the group was less than the sum of the individuals' maximum efforts. So, eight people pulling together didn't pull eight times as hard as one person.
The main reason for this is what's called diffusion of responsibility; when you're in a group, you feel less personally accountable for the outcome.
This has clear implications for managing team projects. To counteract social loafing, it's crucial to assign specific tasks and evaluate individual contributions.
It's the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when they're part of a group than when they're working alone. This was first observed in a famous experiment back in 1913 by a French engineer, Max Ringelmann.
He had people pull on a rope, both individually and in groups. He found that as the group size increased, the total force exerted by the group was less than the sum of the individuals' maximum efforts. So, eight people pulling together didn't pull eight times as hard as one person.
The main reason for this is what's called diffusion of responsibility; when you're in a group, you feel less personally accountable for the outcome.
This has clear implications for managing team projects. To counteract social loafing, it's crucial to assign specific tasks and evaluate individual contributions.
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