Männer sind anfälliger als Frauen für einen Sunk-Cost-Bias (die Tendenz, trotz ihrer Nachteile an einer Investition festzuhalten), wenn sie romantischen Reizen ausgesetzt sind. Der Sunk-Cost-Bias kann in Paarungskontexten für Männer adaptiv sein, die in der Vergangenheit proaktive und ressourcenintensive Strategien zur Partnersuche angewendet haben.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://academic.oup.com/jcr/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jcr/ucae048/7721948

From the linked article:

Abstract

The sunk cost bias, that is, people’s suboptimal tendency to continue to pursue previously invested options, has been found in many domains, and various mechanisms have been proposed. The current study offers a novel perspective for understanding sunk cost bias. Drawing on previous findings suggesting that sunk cost bias may be adaptive and promoted by fundamental motives, it is theorized that sunk cost bias may be a goal-oriented behavior in the mating domain and that this bias can extend to consumption domains (e.g., product/service with nonrefundable deposits, lotteries earned through prior effort, loyalty program memberships obtained through previous purchases) when mating cues are salient. One field study and seven experiments (six of which were pre-registered) demonstrated that mating cues strengthen an implemental mindset among men (vs. women). Consequently, men exhibit a stronger sunk cost bias in consumption when mating cues are salient. However, this effect was not found among women due to differences in their mating tactics. In addition, this article distinguishes sunk cost effect from status quo bias and rules out multiple alternative explanations for the results (including affect, overconfidence, the investment-payoff link, persistence, perceived morality, shame, guilt, and disgust associated with abandoning the original option).

From the linked article:

Men are more prone than women to exhibit sunk cost bias—the tendency to persist with an investment despite its disadvantages—when exposed to romantic cues, according to new research published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Surprisingly this effect is not limited to romantic contexts but also extends to consumer behavior, suggesting that deep-seated evolutionary drives can subtly shape decision-making in various context.

The sunk cost bias refers to the tendency to persist with a decision or investment based on resources already spent, even when abandoning it might be the more rational choice. For example, someone might continue watching a movie they don’t enjoy simply because they’ve already invested an hour of their time. It is often viewed as irrational because the resources already invested (the “sunk costs”) cannot be recovered, and decisions should ideally be based on future outcomes rather than past expenditures.

This evolutionary angle underpins the rationale for the study. The researchers proposed that sunk cost bias might serve an adaptive purpose in mating contexts, particularly for men, who historically adopted proactive and resource-intensive strategies to secure mates. They hypothesized that mating motives could trigger an implemental mindset—a focus on achieving specific goals—that heightens the tendency to stick with prior investments, even in unrelated domains like consumption.

Women have more romantic options and culture is less oppressive towards those that make their own choices than ever before in history.

So they know they can find another partner. Men are less likely to so they will be more stubborn to hold onto a relationship even if it is detrimental to them.

You don’t get it… *I can fix her*

Interesting. Anecdotally, I can think of a specific area where I’ve repeatedly seen this played out in real life, that happens less with women than men.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of men meet a woman and latch onto them prior to any reciprocal interest (or reciprocal interest is limited/the woman has broken off from dating them). Even though this woman shows no actual indication of being willing to date that person in the present or future, I’ve seen men continue this belief that one day they’ll be with this woman to the extent it spans over years. They’ll expend energy on pining, trying to spend time around this woman, talking to friends about her, or building themselves up to one day asking her out.

It’s happened a few times with women I’m pretty certain are asexual as they don’t date anyone. The guys take ages to directly ask them out, and the woman is usually within their social group, so it persists for ages. It’s like once the guy has invested their energy and time into believing they’ll end up with this girl, they can’t let go. Even when other prospects become available to them, or they discover things about that woman that suggest incompatibility.

I’ve seen women having long term crushes, but it’s never been to the extent of this long term fixation where there’s an underlying belief that if they keep putting time in then they’ll eventually get a relationship.