Status Quo Bias

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What is Status Quo Bias? Meaning.

The Status Quo Bias is the human tendency to like things to stay relatively the same. The current situation is taken as the reference point, and any change from that baseline is perceived as a loss. Assumptions of longevity (long lasting), goodness as well as inertia (resistance to change) are said to be contributing factors to status quo bias.

Note we are dealing with a bias: an irrational preference for the current state of affairs. It is not the same as a rational preference for the state of affairs, such as is the case when the current situation is objectively better than the available alternatives.

Also we should separate SQB from a situation in which insufficient or incorrect information is the source of problems.

This type of cognitive bias in judgment and decision making is similar to anchoring and confirmation bias. In reality, it will often occur combined with other distortions in human thinking, such as loss aversion bias. 

SQB is particularly relevant for change managers, organizational development specialists, management consultants, strategists and project and program managers.

Discuss Forum about the Status Quo Bias. Start a new topic Share your knowledge or ask a question   Organizational Sacred Cows The future effectiveness of organizations is contingent upon organizational change. Organizations need to bring about and adapt to external and internal change factors now and then or even continuousl... 27   28 comments How to Overcome Status Quo Bias? Status Quo Bias may be an inherent behavior or cognitive bias in human beings with a resistance to change. At a corporate level it is a major ailment. When a corporate CEO makes some visionary ch... 10   8 comments 🔥 NEW Status Quo Bias versus Psychological Inertia Quoting from Wikipedia: "Status quo bias should be distinguished from psychological inertia, which refers to a lack of intervention in the current course of affairs. For example, consider a pristine l... 3   2 comments Quotes on Status Quo Bias. Quotations Hi, do you know of a remarkable, humorous quote by a famous person or a proverb related to the human tendency to like things to remain the same? Please enter a reaction to share it for other people... 2

Expert Tips Advanced insights about the Status Quo Bias. Here you will find professional advices by experts. Key Behaviors of Innovative Organizations Innovation Management, Culture Change, Organizational Change, Innovative Culture, Organizational Culture Many large-scale attempts to make organizations more innovative are experiencing organizational inertia, barriers and/or...

Information Sources Various sources of information regarding the Status Quo Bias. Here you will find powerpoints, videos, news, etc. to use in your own lectures and workshops. Status Quo Bias - Cases and Examples Status Quo Bias, Change Management, Human Behavior Presentation about the so-called “Status Quo Bias” that leads to avoiding change and action. The presentation consists ...

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This ends our Status Quo Bias summary and forum.