The Ringelmann Effect: Why More People Means Less Individual Effort
In 1913, French agricultural engineer Maximilien Ringelmann conducted a simple experiment: he asked people to pull on a rope, both alone and in groups, and measured their effort. The task was straightforward. Pull as hard as you can. That’s it. When pulling alone, participants gave it their all. But when Ringelmann added more people to the rope, something strange happened. Individual effort decreased. Not a little. A lot. The Numbers Don’t Lie Ringelmann’s findings were shocking: ...