Have you heard about this experiment on poisonous co-workers?

Question

An Australian university professor ran an interesting experiment. For a month, he divided students into teams of four and gave them 45 minutes to solve management problems. What the students didn’t know was that some groups had “plants” — actors instructed to play very specific roles:

• The Indifferent One – lounged back, feet on the table, glued to their phone.

• The Cynic – interrupted with cutting sarcasm: “Are you serious?” or “You’ve clearly never managed anyone before.”

• The Pessimist – saying the task was hopeless and that the team couldn’t possibly succeed.

Even when the other three members were highly capable and motivated, the negative behavior of just one person dragged down the group’s overall performance by 30 to 40%. A team’s effectiveness depends less on how many strong performers it has, and more on whether it carries a single toxic presence. The real challenge isn’t just supporting high performers. It’s removing those who consistently drain energy and derail collaboration.

AviatorTom · Accepted Answer

Sounds very much like an exercise we had in my college Industrial Psychology course. Each of our groups had a "plant", one member instructed by the professor beforehand to act in a particular way, either to agree with everything the group said and did, or always disagree and complain, but the other members of the group didn't know that.

Our results were similar. The "plant" took over the group every time.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I've never heard about it, but it's an interesting idea.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

Not heard of it but it makes sense and I think we've probably all seen it in real life.

thegreenyogi · Accepted Answer

I haven't heard about it but it's an interesting one.

Advisor Smith · Accepted Answer

I've seen similar studies highlighting the impact of toxic behavior on team dynamics. A single negative influence can significantly hinder a team’s performance, underscoring the importance of cultivating a positive work environment. Removing toxic elements is crucial for maintaining motivation and collaboration. From my experience, fostering open communication and establishing clear team norms can help mitigate such negative impacts. By addressing toxic behaviors directly and promoting a culture of support, teams can thrive.

KishasDarling · Answer

For a job once, I was put into a team of people who weren't listening to my suggestions. The negativity made me give up and just let them try to figure it out without my input. Turned out I was right and they failed the project. Served them right lol.

mysteriousNicholas · Answer

Yes I can be a Pessimist 😌🤭🙏🏻

DrPepper12 · Answer

Yes. I miss teaching sociology 😢

Have you heard about this experiment on poisonous co-workers?

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