Effects of causal loop diagrams on escalating commitment

Previous research suggests that decision makers have the tendency to keep on investing in losing courses of action. The present study focuses on de-escalation and proposes causal loop diagrams as a technique to decrease escalating commitment in a failing action. The effectiveness of causal loop diagrams is also contrasted with the effect of receiving a list of important factors. Causal loop diagrams were found to decrease commitment as compared to having no decision aid. However, no significant difference was found between causal loop diagrams and a list of important factors as a de-escalation technique.