Association between Education Sunk Cost Fallacy and Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Passive Involution

Prior educational investments—such as time, effort, and resources—can lead students to continue pursuing a given path even when suboptimal, reflecting the education sunk cost fallacy. This persistence may contribute to passive involution, a compulsive, non-productive engagement in competitive academic or social contexts, which in turn can elevate students’ anxiety. However, empirical studies examining these relationships remain limited. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between the education sunk cost fallacy and anxiety among Chinese university students, and investigated the mediating role of passive involution. Data were collected from a total of 546 Chinese university students, using questionnaires that demonstrated strong reliability and validity. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses, with bootstrap analysis using 5,000 samples and bias-corrected confidence intervals to assess the significance of mediation effects. The results revealed that the education sunk cost fallacy was positively associated with anxiety, and passive involution partially mediated this relationship. These findings provide empirical insights into students’ psychological health and educational decision-making, with implications for educational guidance and mental health interventions.