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Abstract
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Many studies on escalation of commitment observe only a single decision
following negative feedback, although theoretical approaches to escalation
behavior depict escalation as a progression over time. The present paper builds
on Brockner and Rubin's (1985) "tunnel vision" account that suggests a distinction between early and late stages of the escalation process.
We used a dynamic paradigm, observing repeated decisions following negative
feedback and manipulated choice and accountability in order to examine effects
of justification on the progression of escalation behavior. Furthermore, reading
times are used as a measure of effortful processing to investigate the mediating
cognitive processes that lead to escalation behavior. Results show that the
combination of choice with accountability leads to escalation behavior at later
stages of the escalation process and that effortful processing mediates this
interaction of choice, accountability, and escalation behavior. |