Scientific Definition
Each additional unit produces less marginal benefit.
Plain-English Definition
Each additional unit produces less marginal benefit.
Feynman Explanation
The tenth meeting on the topic does not produce ten times the clarity.
Core Principle
Each additional unit produces less marginal benefit.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
Each additional unit produces less marginal benefit.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Knowing when to stop investing.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
The tenth meeting on the topic does not produce ten times the clarity.
Examples
- Engineering team scaling. Marketing spend. Strategy review depth.
- Knowing when to stop investing.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Pre-define the curve. Stop where the slope flattens.
Measurement Approaches
Pending editorial review.
Evidence
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
- Pre-define the curve. Stop where the slope flattens.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
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.
Exploiting price differences between markets for risk-free profit.
The study of how real humans actually decide — bounded, social, emotional, and inconsistent.
With clear property rights and low transaction costs, parties negotiate to efficient outcomes.
Specialize in what you give up the least to do.
Complements raise each other's value; substitutes lower it.
Fixed costs don't scale with output; variable costs do.
Innovation destroys old industries and creates new ones.
A long-run planner self in conflict with a short-run impulsive self.
Owning something raises its valuation — sellers want more to give it up than buyers will pay to acquire.
Bad money drives out good when both are legally equivalent.
The mythical fully rational, self-interested, utility-maximizing agent neoclassical models assume.
One party has more or better information than another.