The Ringelmann effect is a phenomenon that has been widely studied in the field of social psychology, and it suggests that the productivity of individual members of a group tends to decrease as the size of the group increases. This phenomenon is named after Maximilien Ringelmann, a French engineer who conducted research on the effect of group size on individual performance in 1913.
One of the key findings of Ringelmann’s research was that the overall performance of a group tends to decrease as the size of the group increases, even when the group is composed of highly skilled and motivated individuals. This finding has been replicated in numerous studies over the years and has been observed in a variety of different contexts, including team sports, business meetings, and even online video gaming. There are several potential explanations for the Ringelmann effect, and these can be grouped into three main categories: social loafing, social facilitation, and resource depletion.
Social loafing is the idea that individuals are less likely to exert effort when they are part of a group because they feel that their individual contribution is less noticeable or less important. This can lead to a phenomenon known as “free-riding,” where some group members benefit from the efforts of others without contributing themselves.
Social facilitation is the opposite of social loafing, and it refers to the idea that individuals are more likely to perform at their best when they are part of a group. This can be because they feel motivated by the presence of others, or because they feel that their performance is being evaluated by their peers.
Resource depletion is a third explanation for the Ringelmann effect, and it suggests that group members may become less productive over time because they are using up their cognitive and physical resources. This can occur when group members have to make many decisions, or when they have to engage in complex or demanding tasks.
In short, it is clear that both the proverb “If we don’t all row, the boat won’t go” and the phenomenon of the Ringelmann effect have some validity. On the one hand, it is certainly true that the efforts of individual group members are important and necessary for the success of the group as a whole. On the other hand, it is also clear that the size of the group can have an impact on the productivity of individual members, and that groups can become less effective as they get larger. According to every point that is mentioned and explained above, what I personally believe is that a smaller group with qualified and talented people is always the best choice in order to get the best outcomes compared to bigger groups with talented people.