Omission bias

Biological Parallel

When alpha chimpanzees fail to intervene in subordinate conflicts (omission), groups tolerate this; active harmful interventions destroy status. Omissions preserve deniability and optionality; actions create clear causal chains and accountability. In social species, failed actions broadcast incompetence and reduce mate value; omissions remain ambiguous—was it strategy or circumstance? The bias reflects reputational asymmetry: visible failures damage reproductive prospects more than invisible non-actions. Choosing inaction became a sophisticated status-protection strategy.