Scientific Definition
Selecting only the data that supports the conclusion.
Plain-English Definition
Selecting only the data that supports the conclusion.
Feynman Explanation
Statistics, like prisoners, will confess under enough torture.
Core Principle
Selecting only the data that supports the conclusion.
Mechanisms
Selecting only the data that supports the conclusion.
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Inputs (Triggers)
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Outputs (Behaviors)
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Behavioral Signature
Statistics, like prisoners, will confess under enough torture.
Examples
- Quarterly reports that emphasize the one metric that improved.
- Strategy memos that look rigorous and aren't.
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Famous Experiments
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Design Principles
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Measurement Approaches
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Evidence
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The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
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Interactive Mini Network
Click any neighbor to re-center the graph and follow the threads of connection.
Knowledge Graph Neighbors
Auto-linked to the rest of the Human Behavior Taxonomy by family, domain, dimension, and shared keywords.
A single story used as proof of a general claim.
n=1 generalized to n=everyone.
Quoting only the studies that support the position.
Sweeping conclusions from a small sample.
Generalizing from winners while ignoring identical losers.
Drawing a target around wherever the bullets landed.
Attacking the person rather than the argument.
If A then B; B happened; therefore A.
It's true because authority says so.
Common sense says so, therefore it's true.
Believing something is true because of the consequences of its truth.
Substituting feeling for argument.