Commitment and Consistency

Biological Parallel

Birds that invest in nest construction, egg incubation, and chick feeding escalate commitment even when conditions deteriorate—abandoning after such investment wastes irreplaceable calories and time. Consistency bias emerged because organisms that persisted through temporary setbacks outbred those who abandoned prematurely. But this mechanism misfires: sunk costs trigger continued investment even when rational analysis says quit. Biology doesn't cut losses—it doubles down.