Is there a game theory analysis or other research or modeling describing the commonly perceived phenomenon whereby the amount by which people underpay a gratuity seems to be proportional to the number of people at the table?
In other words is there term of art for this behavioral pattern just as we use the phrase "Prisoner's Dilemma" to describe the game theoretical mechanics of two parties who can collude (to their mutual benefit) with risk, or betray their colleague in an effort reduce or eliminate their own risk?
(I would suggest that the mechanisms by which people exploit common resources and by which people fail to invest and maintain such resources (for example ecologically) are similar to this other group dynamic but I'm curious what research has been done on this).