I don't really buy that hypothesis. Evidence: I ultimately did get rid of the calculator, by selling it for $1. It's the same trick that many of my acquaintanc

I don't really buy that hypothesis. Evidence: I ultimately did get rid of the calculator, by selling it for $1. It's the same trick that many of my acquaintances have set on. Any transfer of cash at all seems to eliminate this kind of behavior. If it were really just about rational economic agents trying to negotiate a better deal, then you would expect the opposite. The person, having now given money in exchange for the item, would expect to get even more in return.