Concept · Cognitive Bias: Decision-making and judgment biases
Regret aversion
Origin: Bell, 1982; Loomes & Sugden, 1982
Biological Parallel
An alpha wolf that changes hunting territory and fails suffers not just hunger but status loss—the pack remembers bad leadership decisions. Regret aversion reflects reputational stakes: actions create counterfactuals ('we should have stayed'), omissions don't. Animals in social hierarchies learn that bold moves carry social risk beyond material outcomes. Your paralysis over reversible decisions mirrors ancestral selection against leaders whose failed initiatives damaged group standing and breeding opportunities.