Discover what sunk costs are and how the sunk cost fallacy can impact decision-making in personal and business scenarios.

Have you ever encountered a subpar hotel breakfast while on holiday? You don’t really like the food choices on offer, but since you already paid for the meal as part of your booking, you force ...

What happens when an entrepreneur realizes their project isn't delivering? It can create a crossroad between perseverance and prudence—the point where passion meets pragmatism. The resulting decision ...

As some Republicans express buyer's remorse about Donald Trump's selection of J.D. Vance as the “worst choice” for vice president and Joe Biden ditches his stubbornness about staying in the 2024 ...

It was a Words with Friends chat that first gave Megan Phelps-Roper pause. People have a marked tendency to cling to past investments, whether financial, social, or emotional—even when it becomes ...

Joe Biden’s self-inflicted electoral crisis is a classic case study in the “sunk cost fallacy.” As Vice President Kamala Harris and party leaders pour resources into the president’s flailing campaign, ...

Human beings do not respond rationally to “sunk costs.” We persist in doing what we’ve always done because, well, that’s what we’ve always done. We confuse loyalty with stubbornness. We are reluctant ...

In the 1960s and '70s, the British and French governments made a legendary misstep: betting on the Concorde. A joint manufacturing effort between Sud Aviation and British Aircraft, their supersonic ...

Many people in long-term relationships have used the same phrase to quiet thoughts of leaving: But it’s already been so long! If I leave now, all of that time and effort will go to waste. As it turns ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about relationships, personality, and everyday psychology. Unhappy relationships are an unfortunate reality for many.