Final answer:
An efficiency "reality check" acts as a deterrent to escalation of commitment by objectively reviewing the benefits of continuing to commit resources to a decision rather than relying on emotional or irrational reasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The deterrent to "escalation of commitment" among the options provided is c. An efficiency "reality check". This means taking a step back to evaluate the efficiency of continuing to commit resources to a decision or course of action against the actual benefits or outcomes. It is an approach that breaks away from emotional or irrational reasons for staying the course such as justifying earlier decisions or a cultural emphasis on persistence, which can lead to the sunk-cost fallacy where more value is put into something because of already invested resources. An efficiency reality check helps to avoid such pitfalls by focusing on actual outcomes rather than past inputs or societal pressures.
An efficiency reality check can serve as an antidote to issues like legislative deference, where a legislature may continue to support an ineffective policy due to previous commitments, as well as to polarization, where division between extremes prevents finding a middle ground. Recognizing the fallacies of sunk costs and tribalism is crucial in steering clear of escalation of commitment.