Which bias is about staying with the current situation to avoid change, even if change would be better?

Which bias is about staying with the current situation to avoid change, even if change would be better?

• A. Loss aversion
• B. Sunk cost
• C. Status quo bias
• D. Commitment bias

Answer: (C)

This bias is the tendency to prefer the current situation and resist changing it, even when a change would lead to a better outcome. It shows up as inertia, preferring what’s familiar and discounting potential gains from switching to something new. For example, continuing to use an old software because it’s familiar, even though a newer version would save time and effort, illustrates this pull to stay as things are. This explanation fits because the focus is on resisting change itself, not on fearing losses, past investments, or commitments. Loss aversion centers on avoiding losses rather than avoiding change; sunk cost bias involves continuing a course due to previously invested resources; and commitment bias is about sticking to a prior decision because of that commitment. Recognizing this bias helps explain why people or organizations might pass up improvements simply to keep the status quo.

This bias is the tendency to prefer the current situation and resist changing it, even when a change would lead to a better outcome. It shows up as inertia, preferring what’s familiar and discounting potential gains from switching to something new. For example, continuing to use an old software because it’s familiar, even though a newer version would save time and effort, illustrates this pull to stay as things are.

This explanation fits because the focus is on resisting change itself, not on fearing losses, past investments, or commitments. Loss aversion centers on avoiding losses rather than avoiding change; sunk cost bias involves continuing a course due to previously invested resources; and commitment bias is about sticking to a prior decision because of that commitment. Recognizing this bias helps explain why people or organizations might pass up improvements simply to keep the status quo.