Why do people feel safer when they arrive too early?
Time becomes security when uncertainty is expensive.
People often arrive early because extra time acts as insurance against uncertainty. The cost of waiting feels smaller than the fear of being late.
The appointment starts at ten.
They arrive at nine.
And relax immediately.
The hidden mechanism is temporal insurance.
Humans fear irreversible mistakes.
Missing a flight.
Missing a meeting.
Missing an opportunity.
Extra time creates a safety buffer.
The wait may be boring.
But boredom is easier to accept than regret.
Some people spend time.
Others spend certainty.
Early arrivals try to buy both.
