The dependence of a “focal-point” solution on some characteristic that distinguishes it qualitatively from the surrounding alternatives has important dynamic considerations. For example, it often makes small concessions less likely than large ones; it often means that the focal point is more persuasive as an exact expected outcome than as an approximation. If a bargainer has persistently been unsuccessfully demanding 50 per cent, compromise at 47 per cent is unlikely; the small concession may be a sign of collapse.

XREF: Connects to bargaining theory and Schelling's focal points, where discrete qualitative distinctions outweigh quantitative concessions.

Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, loc. 266