# the more anticipated regret we have the more we hang on > This research tests the general proposition that people are motivated to reduce future regret under escalation situations. This is supported by the findings that (a) escalation of commitment is stronger when the possibility of future regret about withdrawal is high than when this possibility is low (Studies 1a and 1b) and (b) escalation of commitment increases as the net anticipated regret about withdrawal increases (Studies 2a and 2b).([[(Wong and Kwong, 2007)#^z50ij]]) > This research indicates that people in escalation situations are simultaneously influenced by the emotions they expect to experience in the future (e.g., anticipated regret) and by events that have happened in the past (e.g., responsibility for the initiating previous decision).([[(Wong and Kwong, 2007)#^vv2ud]]) > Wong & Kwong studied *anticipated* regret and demonstrated that the sunk-cost effect is stronger when the possibility of future regret about withdrawal of, or continuing, commitment is high than when this possibility is low. ([[(Dijkstra and Hong, 2019)#^gz3bk]]) - We become more committed to something when the anticipated regret is higher