Status quo bias

Why do we stick to the default option even when it's not the best choice?

Imagine you're at a restaurant and the waiter hands you a pre-filled menu with your usual dish. You don't even glance at the other options.

You're leaning towards the default option because it feels safe and familiar. This is called the status quo bias.

Example

You stick to the default dish because it's what you've always ordered, even though there might be a better option available.

Remember this

The status quo bias makes us prefer the familiar option over potentially better alternatives.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Educational content, not financial advice.

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