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The Incentives Lab
HBT-COG-0544 · Dimension COG · Cognition

Preference

An ordering of options by expected satisfaction — often constructed in the moment rather than retrieved.

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

Scientific Definition

An ordering of options by expected satisfaction — often constructed in the moment rather than retrieved.

Plain-English Definition

An ordering of options by expected satisfaction — often constructed in the moment rather than retrieved.

Feynman Explanation

Ask twice. Watch the order change.

Core Principle

An ordering of options by expected satisfaction — often constructed in the moment rather than retrieved.

Mechanisms

Psychological

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Economic

An ordering of options by expected satisfaction — often constructed in the moment rather than retrieved.

Neurological

Pending editorial review.

Evolutionary

Pending editorial review.

Sociological

Pending editorial review.

Computational

Pending editorial review.

Systems

Customer 'preferences' are not stable inputs; they are partly artifacts of how you ask.

Inputs (Triggers)

Pending editorial review.

Outputs (Behaviors)

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Signature

Ask twice. Watch the order change.

Examples

Everyday
  • Survey-based 'preferences' that flip under reframing.
Modern (Organizational)
  • Customer 'preferences' are not stable inputs; they are partly artifacts of how you ask.
Historical

Pending editorial review.

Famous Experiments

Pending editorial review.

Design Principles

  • Triangulate stated, revealed, and behavioral preference signals.

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
Customer 'preferences' are not stable inputs; they are partly artifacts of how you ask.
Amplifying Incentives
Customer 'preferences' are not stable inputs; they are partly artifacts of how you ask.
Org Failure Modes
Customer 'preferences' are not stable inputs; they are partly artifacts of how you ask.
Societal Failure Modes
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Ethical Considerations
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Redesign Strategies
Triangulate stated, revealed, and behavioral preference signals.
Diagnostic Questions
  • Triangulate stated, revealed, and behavioral preference signals.
Warning Signs

Pending editorial review.

Red Flags

Pending editorial review.

Intervention Playbook
Individual
Triangulate stated, revealed, and behavioral preference signals.
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-0544 · COG
Preference
PrArArbitrageBEBehavioral EconomicsCTCoase TheoremCAComparative AdvantageCSComplements & Substi…CFCosts (Fixed vs. Var…CDCreative DestructionDRDiminishing ReturnsDMDual-Self ModelEEEndowment Effect (Be…

Knowledge Graph Neighbors

Version History

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