Escalation of commitment refers to a human behavior pattern in which an individual or group—when faced with increasingly negative outcomes from some decision, action, or investment—continues the same behavior rather than alter course. They maintain actions that are irrational, but align with previous decisions and actions.
Economists and behavioral scientists use a related term, sunk cost fallacy, to describe the justification of increased investment of money, time, lives, etc. in a decision, based on the cumulative prior investment ("sunk costs"); despite new evidence suggesting that the cost, beginning immediately, of continuing the decision outweighs the expected benefit.
[ PM | Exclude me | Exclude from subreddit | Information ]