Ringelmann rediscovered: The original article.

David A. Kravitz, Barbara Jean Martin·1986·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037//0022-3514.50.5.936

Abstract

A current focus of research on individual versus group performance is social loafing, the decrease inindividual effort that occurs when the individual works within a cooperative group rather than alone.Theory and research on this issue have been strongly influenced by results reported in Moede (1927)and attributed to Ringelmann. Despite the importance and frequent citation of Ringelmann's study,the location of his original report has been a mystery. In this article Ringelmann's original article isdiscussed and described in detail. Ringelmann was a French agricultural engineer who gathered hisdata in the 1880s. He (Ringelmann, 1913b) reported the performance of human workers as a functionof the method that the workers used to push or pull a load horizontally. Comparison of individualand group performance was a secondary interest in this experiment. Ringelmann interpreted theobtained decrement in group performance in terms of coordination loss, although he was also awareof motivational factors. Ringelmann's results are briefly related to contemporary theory and research.

Cites (1)

  1. The psychology of social impact
    Latané, Bibb · 1981 · American Psychologist

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Cited by (4)

  1. Social loafing: a meta-analytic review and theoretical integration.
    Karau, Steven J., Williams, Kipling D. · 1993 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
  2. Exploring the Effect of Distance: An Experimental Investigation of Virtual Collaboration, Social Loafing, and Group Decisions
    Blaskovich, Jennifer L. · 2008 · Journal of Information Systems
  3. Social Loafing and Motivation Gains in Groups: An Integrative Review
    Karau, Steven J., Wilhau, Aric J. · 2020 · Individual Motivation within Groups
  4. Influences of Online Learning on Social Loafing
    Sagayno, Jennycille, Sumicad, Rulthan, Geraldizo-Pabriga, Maria Gemma, Gabunada, Noreen P., Tañola, Veronica, De Vera, Joselito P. · 2023 · British Journal of Teacher Education and Pedagogy

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This page
CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Ringelmann rediscovered: The original article. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1037//0022-3514.50.5.936
The paper
Kravitz, D. A., & Martin, B. J. (1986). Ringelmann rediscovered: The original article. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.50.5.936

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