IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jcsosc/v8y2025i1d10.1007_s42001-024-00339-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Individual differences in escalation of commitment: a multi-level adaptive learning perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Kin Fai Ellick Wong

    (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

  • Jessica Y. Y. Kwong

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

  • Michelle Yik

    (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Previous studies have found stable individual differences in decision-making under escalation situations. Conventionally, the differences have been attributed to dispositional factors. In this paper, we offer multi-level adaptive learning as an alternative, positing that stable individual differences can develop (a) from an equal starting point at which there are no individual differences among all simulated learners, and (b) without the presumption of influences from dispositional factors. The results of three computer simulation studies showed that after sufficient learning trials, simulated individuals developed the key characteristics of stable individual differences in escalation of commitment: (a) a stable escalation tendency, (b) stable individual differences in escalation tendency, (c) decreases in stability of individual differences as more learning occurs, and (d) decreases in test–retest correlation as the test–retest interval increases. The findings suggest that adaptive learning can explain the emergence and development of individual differences in escalation of commitment without the assumption of dispositional factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Kin Fai Ellick Wong & Jessica Y. Y. Kwong & Michelle Yik, 2025. "Individual differences in escalation of commitment: a multi-level adaptive learning perspective," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jcsosc:v:8:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s42001-024-00339-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s42001-024-00339-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s42001-024-00339-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s42001-024-00339-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jcsosc:v:8:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s42001-024-00339-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.