Escalation of commitment is a human behavior pattern in which an individual or group facing increasingly negative outcomes from a decision, action, or investment nevertheless continues the behavior instead of altering course.

What is escalation of commitment example?

A classic example of escalation of commitment involves staying in a job we despise. To an outsider, the situation may seem painfully obvious: quit your job and find a more rewarding career. But when we're in this particular situation, we experience a commitment bias.

What is escalation of commitment in business?

Escalation of commitment is a risk whenever a decision maker commits resources to a course of action (thereby making an “investment”) in the hope of achieving a positive outcome and experiences disappointing results. ... Invested resources may take any form from time, money, and labor to mental and emotional energy.