Status Quo Effect in Choice Experiments: Empirical Evidence on Attitudes and Choice Task Complexity

Many studies on individual decision making have shown that a disproportionate number of respondents choose the status quo (SQ) alternative. But it is still unclear what motivates individuals to disproportionately select the SQ alternative. Using data from two choice experiments about forest biodiversity, we find evidence that a protest attitude, an attitude toward the good, and perceived choice task complexity influence the choice of the SQ. However, only the attitude toward the good in question and the protest attitude show significant effects across all econometric specifications.