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The Incentives Lab
HBT-COG-0164 · Dimension COG · Cognition

Common Source Bias

Treating multiple data points as independent when they came from one source.

Reasoning·Mental Model·Grade B·draft· enriching…

Scientific Definition

Treating multiple data points as independent when they came from one source.

Plain-English Definition

Treating multiple data points as independent when they came from one source.

Feynman Explanation

Three articles, one wire story.

Core Principle

Treating multiple data points as independent when they came from one source.

Mechanisms

Psychological

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Economic

Treating multiple data points as independent when they came from one source.

Neurological

Pending editorial review.

Evolutionary

Pending editorial review.

Sociological

Pending editorial review.

Computational

Pending editorial review.

Systems

Triangulation is fake if all sources upstream are the same.

Inputs (Triggers)

Pending editorial review.

Outputs (Behaviors)

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Signature

Three articles, one wire story.

Examples

Everyday
  • Multiple reports 'confirming' a trend that all cite the same survey.
Modern (Organizational)
  • Triangulation is fake if all sources upstream are the same.
Historical

Pending editorial review.

Famous Experiments

Pending editorial review.

Design Principles

  • Trace every data point to its primary source.

Measurement Approaches

Pending editorial review.

Evidence

Evidence Grade
B (A strongest → E speculative)
Replication
★★★☆☆
Intervention Confidence
3 / 5
Consensus
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Limitations
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Open Research Questions

Pending editorial review.

Primary References

Pending editorial review.

Signature Section

The Perverse Incentive Lens™

How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.

Exploitation
Triangulation is fake if all sources upstream are the same.
Amplifying Incentives
Triangulation is fake if all sources upstream are the same.
Org Failure Modes
Triangulation is fake if all sources upstream are the same.
Societal Failure Modes
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Ethical Considerations
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Redesign Strategies
Trace every data point to its primary source.
Diagnostic Questions
  • Trace every data point to its primary source.
Warning Signs

Pending editorial review.

Red Flags

Pending editorial review.

Intervention Playbook
Individual
Trace every data point to its primary source.
Team
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Organization
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Policy
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
AI Implications
Detection
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Measurement
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Mitigation
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Responsible Use
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).

Interactive Mini Network

Click any neighbor to re-center the graph and follow the threads of connection.

HBT-COG-0164 · COG
Common Source Bias
CSAbAbstractionsABAdaptive BiasABAdditive BiasAAAffirming a DisjunctADAgent DetectionARAlder's RazorAlAlgorithmsAMAll Models Are WrongABAllegiance BiasAFAnecdotal Fallacy

Knowledge Graph Neighbors

Version History

v1.1.0 · 2026-06-28Initial auto-seed from corpus.