overcautiousness
Overcautiousness is a tendency to exercise excessive caution, to the point of avoiding actions or decisions that would be prudent given the level of risk involved. It is not simply carefulness; it implies a systematic bias toward delaying or foregoing action.
Causes include risk aversion, prior negative experiences, and cognitive biases such as loss aversion, the status
The effects of overcautiousness can vary with context. In safety-focused domains it may reduce harm, but in
In finance, it can produce overly conservative portfolios or the avoidance of high-potential investments. In healthcare,
Mitigation strategies emphasize proportional risk assessment and structured decision making. Tools such as explicit risk tolerances,
Overcautiousness is not inherently negative; it often reflects an adaptive sensitivity to danger. The challenge is
See also: risk aversion, paralysis by analysis, conservatism bias.