People often continue toward a goal using a longer, less efficient path rather than backtracking and choosing a shortcut, even when it would…

People often continue toward a goal using a longer, less efficient path rather than backtracking and choosing a shortcut, even when it would…

Sample: 2 524 participants.

Participants engaged in tasks involving virtual navigation and cognitive exercises. For instance, after covering a short distance in a virtual environment, subjects encountered a map offering two routes to the destination. One route was shorter but required doubling back.

Shown: 31% of participants chose the shorter path if it required backtracking, compared to nearly 57% when backtracking wasn't necessary. People consistently avoided options involving doubling back, even when those options saved time. When task switching was framed as undoing previous work, participants felt their earlier efforts were wasted.

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Link to an article.