(a) Occurrence of loss
(b) Self-Justification
(c) Strengthening by external factor
(d) Rational expectation of positive outcome
Choose the correct option:
(d) $\rightarrow$ (a) $\rightarrow$ (c) $\rightarrow$ (b)
Understanding Escalation of Commitment Sequence
Escalation of commitment describes the tendency to persist with failing courses of action, even when negative consequences become apparent. This phenomenon follows a specific sequence of psychological and behavioral steps.
Key Steps in Escalation of Commitment
The process typically begins with an initial decision based on positive expectations. When these expectations are unmet, leading to negative outcomes, individuals may feel compelled to justify their previous choices, often leading to further investment and commitment.
Based on the provided correct sequence, the steps are:
- (d) Rational expectation of positive outcome: This is the initial phase where a decision is made with the belief that it will yield favorable results.
- (a) Occurrence of loss: The initial decision does not result in the expected positive outcome; instead, a loss or negative consequence is encountered.
- (c) Strengthening by external factor: Despite the encountered loss, external factors (such as social pressure, institutional momentum, or perceived sunk costs) reinforce the commitment to the original course of action.
- (b) Self-Justification: Following the reinforcement, the individual engages in self-justification to rationalize the persistence and continued investment, seeking to validate the initial decision and avoid admitting failure.
This cyclical process, driven by the interplay of negative feedback, external influences, and cognitive biases like self-justification, leads to the escalation of commitment.
The correct sequence provided is: (d) $\rightarrow$ (a) $\rightarrow$ (c) $\rightarrow$ (b).
Important Questions from Analytical Decision Making (Notes)
_________________ psychology is a branch in which the findings of psychology are applied in the field of education.
- Prof. Murthy likes to let her students choose who their partners will be; however, no pair of students may work together for more than seven class periods in a row. Alice and Bob have worked together for seven class periods in a row. Calvin and Denny have worked together for three class periods in a row. Calvin does not want to work with Alice. Who should be assigned to work with Bob?
- Of four agents Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta, three have to be sent together on a mission. If Alpha and Beta cannot go together, Beta and Gamma cannot go together and Gamma and Delta cannot go together, then which of the following holds?
- In an experiment one group of subjects was asked to estimate the product of $8 \times 7 \times 6 \times 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1$ in 5 seconds. The other group was asked to estimate the product of $1 \times 2 \times 3 \times 4 \times 5 \times 6 \times 7 \times 8$ in the same time. The former group attained a larger estimate than the later group. The biasing effect involved in this case is because of
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by choosing from the codes given below :
List – I
(Phenomenon)List – II
(Explanation)a. Thinking i. Process of choosing between two or more alternatives on the basis of information about them b. Reasoning ii. Processing information in various ways to move towards a desired goal c. Decision making iii. Mental activity through which we transform available information in order to reach conclusion d. Problem solving iv. An activity that involves the manipulation of mental representation of various features of the external world
