Do We Run Less in a Group? Social Loafing on Laps

An experiment on the Ringelmann effect and social loafing: students run two 3-minute sets, one where their laps are counted under their name and one where only the team total counts. They analyze what makes each member give their best in a group.

How to play

1. Mark a loop of about 100 meters with cones and explain there will be two 3-minute sets at high effort, with a Borg scale rating after each (3 min).
2. Progressive running warm-up and mobility (5 min).
3. Set A, identifiable: each student runs while their partner counts their laps and records them under their name (4 min).
4. Walking recovery with water (4 min).
5. Set B, anonymous: teams of five in pinnies run while a scorekeeper counts only the team total; each runner silently counts their own laps (4 min).
6. Recovery and analysis: each student privately compares their two sets and the class compares averages by condition; students suggest ways to prevent social loafing on teams (10 min).

Rules

• Run at a high but sustainable effort, and slow down if you feel dizzy or have pain.
• Always pass on the outside of the loop.
• Nobody comments out loud on other students' individual data.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do the sets in the wheelchair on a flat stretch or serve as the official scorekeeper.
• Asthma or low fitness: choose a moderate pace and compare data only with oneself.
• Autism: get the order of the sets in writing and run in the outside lane with less passing.

Learning goals

• Understand the Ringelmann effect and social loafing.
• Compare individual effort under identifiable and anonymous conditions.
• Suggest strategies to keep everyone engaged on a team.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 10
• stopwatches: 6
• worksheets: 30
• pinnies: 15

Teacher tip

Don't reveal the hypothesis until the analysis. To control for fatigue, have half the group start with the anonymous set.

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