| The Sunk-cost Effect as an Optimal Rate-maximizing Behavior. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20658171 Owner: NLM Status: In-Data-Review |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Optimal foraging theory has been criticized for underestimating patch exploitation time. However, proper modeling of costs not only answers these criticisms, but it also explains apparently irrational behaviors like the sunk-cost effect. When a forager is sure to experience high initial costs repeatedly, the forager should devote more time to exploitation than searching in order to minimize the accumulation of said costs. Thus, increased recognition or reconnaissance costs lead to increased exploitation times in order to reduce the frequency of future costs, and this result can be used to explain paradoxical human preference for higher costs. In fact, this result also provides an explanation for how continuing a very costly task indefinitely provides the optimal long-term rate of gain; the entry cost of each new task is so great that the forager avoids ever returning to search. In general, apparently irrational decisions may be optimal when considering the lifetime of a forager within a larger system. |
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Authors:
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Theodore P Pavlic; Kevin M Passino |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2010-07-24 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Acta biotheoretica Volume: 59 ISSN: 1572-8358 ISO Abbreviation: Acta Biotheor. Publication Date: 2011 Mar |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-03-02 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0421520 Medline TA: Acta Biotheor Country: Netherlands |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 53-66 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, 205 Dreese Labs, 2015 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA, pavlic.3@osu.edu. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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