Scientific Definition
We accept vague, positive personality descriptions as highly accurate.
Plain-English Definition
We accept vague, positive personality descriptions as highly accurate.
Feynman Explanation
The horoscope effect works even on people who do not believe in horoscopes.
Core Principle
We accept vague, positive personality descriptions as highly accurate.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
We accept vague, positive personality descriptions as highly accurate.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Personality assessments and 360 reviews can feel more precise than they are.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
The horoscope effect works even on people who do not believe in horoscopes.
Examples
- Employees rate generic feedback as 'exactly right' about them.
- Personality assessments and 360 reviews can feel more precise than they are.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Demand specific, predictive statements from any assessment.
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.
- Demand specific, predictive statements from any assessment.
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.
We accept vague, general statements as personally meaningful.
We come to like people we've done a favor for, more than people who've helped us.
Subconscious preference for numbers (and letters) that appear in our own name or birthday.
A persuasive message produces the opposite of its intended effect.
The threat of retaliation suppresses legitimate speech or action.
Higher rates of mistreatment toward stepchildren than biological children.
Renewed interest in a stimulus when a novel stimulus is introduced.
We recognize faces from our own race more accurately than others.
Underestimating how common our positive traits and behaviors are.
People change behavior when they know they are being observed.
Competent people become more likable after a small visible mistake.
A group decides on a course of action that nobody actually wants, because everyone assumes others prefer it.