Final answer:
Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group toward a common goal due to the lack of individual accountability. It is mitigated by individual assessment, smaller groups, and group orientation of certain cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency for people to exert less effort when they are pooling their efforts toward a common goal is known as social loafing. This phenomenon often occurs when individual contributions cannot be identified separately from the group, leading to a decreased motivation to perform well on tasks where contributions are pooled. Several factors can mitigate social loafing, such as knowing that one's efforts will be individually assessed or having smaller group sizes, where peer pressure and the ease of monitoring individual behavior can play a significant role in reducing the likelihood of free-riding. Studies also suggest that women and those from collectivistic cultures are less likely to engage in social loafing.