People check their bank balance less often exactly when they most need to

Economists Dan Galai and Orly Sade named the ostrich effect for the tendency to avoid useful information specifically because it might be bad news — investors log into their accounts far less often when markets are falling than when they're rising, even though a downturn is exactly when a decision might be needed. The pattern shows up well beyond finance too, in people skipping medical test results or unopened bills, trading short-term comfort for worse long-term outcomes.

— Dan Galai & Orly Sade, Ostrich Effect — Behavioral finance