Scientific Definition
Things feel more valuable when supply or time is limited.
Plain-English Definition
Things feel more valuable when supply or time is limited.
Feynman Explanation
Only 3 left — and now there are two reasons to buy.
Core Principle
Things feel more valuable when supply or time is limited.
Mechanisms
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Inputs (Triggers)
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Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
Only 3 left — and now there are two reasons to buy.
Examples
- Limited-edition drops sell out before the use case is clear.
- Artificial scarcity props up margins but erodes trust on repeat exposure.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Ask: would I still want this if supply were infinite?
Measurement Approaches
Pending editorial review.
Evidence
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The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
- Ask: would I still want this if supply were infinite?
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Interactive Mini Network
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Knowledge Graph Neighbors
Auto-linked to the rest of the Human Behavior Taxonomy by family, domain, dimension, and shared keywords.
We defer to perceived expertise, rank, or uniform.
Membership in a group is a baseline human need.
We say yes more often to people we like.
Cooperation between unrelated agents when future reciprocity is likely.
Stored social capital from prior behavior.
Unwritten rules that govern behavior in a group.
Position in a hierarchy is a primary driver of behavior.
Strong in-group loyalty paired with out-group skepticism.
Shared identity ('we') drives compliance harder than shared interest.
Clear ownership of outcomes, not just tasks.
Asymmetric information attracts the worst counterparties.
Vastness that exceeds existing schemas dissolves the self briefly.