Breakfast

[mrlloyd]

Would you like a slice of bread?
  No
Would you like a slice of bread with peanut butter?
  No
Would you like a slice of bread with apple syrup?
  No
Would you like a slice of bread with pink flamingos?
  Yes
[checks cupboard]
We're out of Pink Flamingos, would you like peanut butter?
  Yes

Comments

[venta]

It's all about the pyschology, innit :)

[mrlloyd]

Seems so. Either that or making sure you have a decent stock of pink flamingos.

[onebyone]

Endowment effect. Should be even stronger if you've got the bread out before checking for flamingos, since then there's also a partially-recoverable cost.

[onebyone]

(where by "you" I mean the person making the decision, which I expect won't happen here).