The Large Choral Ensemble And Social Loafing

Author(s): David Stocker

Source: The Choral Journal, Vol. 21, No. 9 (MAY 1981), pp. 9-10
Published by: American Choral Directors Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23545717
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 It has been one of the prima facia
assumptions of choral conductors that
The Choral
one of the
ensembles is
benefits
the
accruing
aesthetic
to our
ex
Large
greater
perience which results from singers
working
A
in a group,
of this or often
Ensemble And
part spoken
unspoken assumption is that it is
precisely that group experience which
raises the aesthetic a notch Social
Loafing
experience
or two above that of the "mere" soloist.
There is one aspect of the group ex
By David Stocker
perience which needs to be examined in
some greater detail. This is the problem
of the individual who, when his contribu tested individually and in groups of two, because of a reduction in commit
tion to the group cannot be easily four, and six. The six-person groups ment relative to the size of thegroup
measured, tends
slacken to
his output. achieved only 40 per cent of capacity. and hence a reduction in satisfaction.
Several psychological researchers have Even the two-person groups achieved
called this the theory of social 71 cent of capacity. 3- The larSer the choral ensemble, the
loafing.1 only per
This of reduced in and harder the director will have to work
phenomenon By using headphones pre-
dividual when in the was recorded of people and to create subtle expressiveness and
output group tapes cheering
first described in 1927 the German had the perception clear details. Not, however, because
by shouting, subjects
Walter Moede on a that they were cheering in a group, but the sum of the bodies present and
psychologist rope
task.2 In their efforts as in the mention- usual muddiness of the typical
pulling combining they also, previously
on a rope pull, he expected three ed experiment, cheered alone. The same large group delivery, but rather
people
to exert three times as much force as any in performance occurred as the because of the lower ratio of concen
drop
individual alone. In fact, of the group size increased. trated effort from each individual.
person pulling perception
even accounting for the lesser efficiency This rather strange behavior from
4 The , the choral ensemble, the
of three people pulling on a rope at the otherwise dependable people leads one
less likel wiu be extra-musical
same time, the force exerted was only to ask why there is an apparent drop m volunteer help because of less feeling
2.5 times the average individual perfor effort when participating within a
of belonging or of being needed,
mance. With
eight people on the rope group. One hypothesis advanced by
pull the total force was less than four Latané, et al was that people attempt to
It be that there is no si le an.
times the individual rate or less than compensate for what they feel is an ine-
tidote for thig poisonous effect when
half the combined individual potential. quity m the relative output between
worki ^ lar choi but some su
Thus, while the total group force was a themselves and those around them. One
gestions may be helpful:
significant increase over the individual reason put forward for this was that the
force, the performance was considerably individual is closer to the source of his 1. By carefully choosing warm-up
less than the sum of the individual ef own output of energy and hence feels a material which vocal,
requires great
forts. greater intensity.4 This may create an in- facial or we will
physical activity,
It would seem that a theory of social accurate and exaggerated impression of more draw each into
readily singer
impact, as proposed by Latané, is at one's contribution to the group product. the in the rehearsal.
process early
work in the group situation. He Another, more ex- Have them all stand,
perhaps plausible, move, sing, in
postulated that the social pressure to planation is the natural temptation to teract. This should strengthen group
at one's absolute maximum is become free riders —
perform particularly temp- dynamics,
diluted within the group, and that this ting when the effort necessary is con
dilution is in direct proportion to the siderable as would be the case with any
The singers closest to the conductor
number of individuals within that successful choral ensemble. It is im- usually feel more involved in the
The more the less obvious to ensemble situation and therefore would be ex
group. people, mediately any
on any individual. The result is that the or blame, success pected to produce at a higher level. If
pressure singer praise
the wide of social or failure, or negative effects of this is true, then a conductor may
spread phenomenon positive
derive great benefit from rotating the
loafing. the ensemble situation are divided
In 1974, researchers at the University the members to the ex- rows on a regular basis so that all
equally among
of Massachusetts tried to eliminate the tent that the larger the group singers eventually get to the front
a) the less
inefficiency of the rope-pull experiment the impact of the individual on the center of the ensemble. Many
the subject's of and other psychological and musical ef
by arranging perception group, b) the less chance for reward
the size without or blame. Most rewards fects will result from this, not the
group changing any psychological
other variable in the experiment. Par are more immediate when least of which is the choir s greater
intensely
were led to believe that one's effort can be experience with its own internally
ticipants many individually
others were with them, monitored. unique sounds.
pulling along
could not know for sure The ramifications of this social loafing
although they
Shuffling the seating within each row
because they were blindfolded. In ac problem carry great weight for the should also help. Move the people on
tuality, they always pulled alone. The ensemble director, it would seem consis- the ends of the rows into the center,
results were nearly identical to the tent to note the following direct applica- Either a regular rotation or a random
There was a decline tlons:
original experiment.
shifting could reap the benefits of in
in performance as the perception of the
creased output as well as a greater
size of the group increased. 1. The larger the choral ensemble, the sense of independence from each in
Latané, Williams, and Harkins tested more likely individual effort will not dividual.
this theory using sound.3 They chose a be at its optimal capacity.
number of volunteers who were told to 3. The conductor needs to make use of
clap and/or to cheer as loudly as possible 2. The larger the choral ensemble, the his psychological impact on produc
for five seconds. Each volunteer was less likely will be group rapport tivity by virtue of his physical
MAY 1981 Page 9

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 presence within the group as well as ing individuals sink into the dividual evaluation, albeit on an infor
in front of it. Walking into the sec- anonymity of large ensemble singing, mal unstructured basis, should produce
tions and around the perimeter may A multitude of such groups as a rise in individual productivity.
help spur more energetic effort. It Barbershop quartets, Girls' Trios, In trying to reach greater and greater
could also give the conductor a new Madrigal Singers, Folk Ensembles, numbers of students with the expressive
on the sound of his Choir — all derived from the of choral ensemble
perspective Swing opportunities sing
—
organization. large group may improve the sense ing, we may enlarge our ensembles by
of individual contribution and worth enough students to create the tradi
4. Rehearsing in quartets will also help and may help to fight off the social tional "large ensemble". But, because of
the independence aspect of the learn- loafing syndrome. the social loafing effects found in large
ing. The separation from others in groups, we may be alienating many
one's section has the additional Summary and Conclusion: A number because they get less satisfaction as a
benefit of forcing a singer toward of social psychologists' recent research result of their own reduced output. An

greater concentration in order to seems to indicate that there is a slacken idealistic, if impractical, alternative
learn his own part. Keeping up with ing of individual effort in group enter seems to be additional choirs in a school
one's quartet companions may help prises in direct proportion to the increas (church, community) program rather
counter social loafing. ing size of the group. In effect, the larger than the simple enlargement of the main
the group, the less effort each individual choir.
5. Having a regular schedule of quartets contributes to it. It has been suggested
called to the front of the choir to per- also that this phenomenon helps explain It may be that the conductor's sen
form for peers creates strong motiva- the reluctance of crowds of bystanders sitivity to his group and its progress is
tion, but it also tends to hold the veil- to come to the aid of a person in trouble, the key to overcoming the social loafing
ed threat of humiliation over a singer sense a — and hence a Continued evaluation and
They sharing problem.
if he is not prepared on a part. This diluting — of the responsibility resulting thoughtful rehearsal techniques may
technique is best applied to those in less demand upon themselves as in well be as important as the traditional
choirs where the members already are dividuals.6 musical concerns in order to keep
fairly experienced and can be relied The large choral ensemble may suffer motivation, concentration and a sense of

upon to produce a reasonable rendi- from the same law of diminished effec personal contribution to the group at a
tion of the music by themselves. It tiveness in relation to additional size. It high level. In so doing, we may increase
will certainly improve the concentra- is possible that countering these social the efficiency of our singers and reduce
tion and general level of output. loafing effects may be related to an in the draining effects of social loafing.
dividual sense of contribution to and in
6. Other small group experiences within volvement with the group. We know FOOTNOTES
the large ensemble would help to keep that anonymity encourages free-riding.6
1
the energy level up rather than hav- A rise in individual accountability or in Latane, Bibb; Kipling Williams; and Stephen
Harkins, "Many Hands Make Light Work: The
Causes and Consequences of Social Loafing," Jour
nal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37 (1979),

Choral Conducting Workshot)

Workshop
Pp. 822-832.
2
Latane, Bibb, Kipling Williams, and Stephen
Harkins, "Social Loafing," Psychology Today, Vol.
13, No. 4, October 1979, P. 104

Summer 6-iojuly/paul hill 8

Latane, "Many Hands Make Light the Work ..

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iJvaMUlI ing the voice, rehearsal techniques, audi 6
Latane, Bibb, The Unresponsive Bystander:
1CIQ1 tioning procedures, building sound with Why Doesn't He Help? Appleton-Century Crofts,

X^rO-1.
X^rOX young voices, recruitment and organiza New York, 1970.
6
tion, and repertoire for junior high, senior Edney, Julian, "Free Riders En Route to
Disaster", Psychology Today, Vol. 13, No. 2,
The Peabo
ThePeabo (Jv high, college and church choirs. There August 1979, P. 84.
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