Adoption
The Sunk Cost Fallacy
A reasoning error where sunk cost leads to flawed conclusions.
Sunk Cost Fallacy is a reasoning error where past investment, present context, or emotional state leads to poor decisions. Users experiencing Sunk Cost Fallacy continue with suboptimal solutions because of cognitive traps rather than rational evaluation. In product design, Sunk Cost Fallacy explains why users stick with bad products, resist better alternatives, and make choices against their own interests. Products that help users overcome Sunk Cost Fallacy provide clear value comparisons and reduce the weight of past investment.