<p>It's called <strong>reference-dependent preference</strong>, a notion belonging to the intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Here is <a href="http://www.neuroeconomics.org/documents/Koszegi_Workshop2010.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a set of brief introductory slides on the concept</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-02T01:44:06.330Z
2017-03-02T01:44:06.330Z
Herr K.
<p>For example, say a person has turned down an offer for a competing position with another company. That person now has an increased sense of attachment to their current position with the logic "I turned down that offer, I must really like my current job". </p>

<p>This sometimes looks a little like sunk cost "I just watched the first 9 out of 10 seasons of this television show. I must really like it, so I'll watch the 10th"</p>

<p>What's the name of this economic concept? Is this maybe a psychology concept instead?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-03T13:27:39.477Z
The example doesn't seem to be a well specified as there are many reasons other than emotional attachment why someone would make the TV show watching argument. For example, the Sunk Cost Fallacy and complementary in consumption could give this behavior.
BKay
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-03T18:20:10.517Z
Yes, but in this case, I was specifically wondering about the rationalization I had mentioned. I didn't have any other examples that isolate for that line of reasoning.
royvandewater
<microeconomics><consumer-theory>
Economic concept where turning something down heightens emotional attachment
royvandewater
# Economic concept where turning something down heightens emotional attachment

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-02)

For example, say a person has turned down an offer for a competing position with another company. That person now has an increased sense of attachment to their current position with the logic "I turned down that offer, I must really like my current job".

This sometimes looks a little like sunk cost "I just watched the first 9 out of 10 seasons of this television show. I must really like it, so I'll watch the 10th"

What's the name of this economic concept? Is this maybe a psychology concept instead?

**Tags:** microeconomics, consumer-theory

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The example doesn't seem to be a well specified as there are many reasons other than emotional attachment why someone would make the TV show watching argument. For example, the Sunk Cost Fallacy and complementary in consumption could give this behavior.  
> **username_0**: Yes, but in this case, I was specifically wondering about the rationalization I had mentioned. I didn't have any other examples that isolate for that line of reasoning.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-03-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

It's called **reference-dependent preference**, a notion belonging to the intersection of economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Here is [a set of brief introductory slides on the concept](http://www.neuroeconomics.org/documents/Koszegi_Workshop2010.pdf)


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