Scientific Definition
Goals become the focus, sometimes at the expense of the underlying purpose.
Plain-English Definition
Goals become the focus, sometimes at the expense of the underlying purpose.
Feynman Explanation
Hit the target, miss the point.
Core Principle
Goals become the focus, sometimes at the expense of the underlying purpose.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
Goals become the focus, sometimes at the expense of the underlying purpose.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Targets can distort behavior if not designed carefully.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
Hit the target, miss the point.
Examples
- A support team closes tickets quickly but leaves customers unsatisfied.
- Targets can distort behavior if not designed carefully.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Pair targets with quality and outcome measures.
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.
- Pair targets with quality and outcome measures.
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.
A color appears different depending on adjacent colors.
The ability to focus on one voice in a noisy environment.
Evaluations are warped by what came immediately before.
We spend less when holding large bills than small ones — same money, different behavior.
One new possession spirals into a cascade of complementary purchases.
Selling winners too early and holding losers too long.
We overweight one aspect of an event when predicting its impact.
One negative trait taints judgment of everything else about a person or company.
Evaluated separately, the smaller-but-complete option beats the larger-but-flawed one.
'Free' is a different psychological category — disproportionately attractive.
How will I feel about this in 10 minutes / 10 months / 10 years?
Inattention or forgetfulness caused by low attention, hyperfocus, or distraction.