[Status quo bias in conflict situations]

The present study examined status quo bias in hypothetical conflict situations. Based on Lewin's (1935) typology, four situations were described: approach, avoidant, ambivalent, and no information conflicts. In Study 1 in which 15 male and 68 female undergraduates participated, status quo bias was found in their responses to no information as well as avoidant conflict situations. In Study 2, 29 male and 99 female undergraduates performed decision tasks, and status quo bias was found in ambivalent as well as avoidant conflict situations. In addition, in Study 3, with 25 male and 75 female undergraduates, status quo bias was found in no information, avoidant, and ambivalent conflict situations. In general, strong status quo bias was found in no information as well as avoidant conflict conditions, whereas it was consistently absent in approach conflict situation. These results suggest that status quo bias is a strategy to avoid decisions.