现状（status quo）即「目前的状态」。

现状具有很强的主观性，因此不同的主体，在不同的环境下，会有不同的理解。

大量证据表明，人在作决策的时候经常受到现状偏差（status quo bias）的影响。人在作决策的时候往往把现状作为基准，而任何改变都会被当成是一种损失，因而会倾向于维持现状。

Status quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regards to social or political issues. In the sociological sense, it generally applies to maintain or change existing social structure and values.

It is the nominal form of the prepositional Latin phrase "in statu quo" – literally "in the state in which", which itself is a shortening of the original phrase in statu quo res erant ante bellum, meaning "in the state in which things were before the war". To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are. The related phrase status quo ante, literally "the state in which before", means "the state of affairs that existed previously".