Scientific Definition
Shared identity ('we') drives compliance harder than shared interest.
Plain-English Definition
Shared identity ('we') drives compliance harder than shared interest.
Feynman Explanation
'One of us' beats 'one of the best.'
Core Principle
Shared identity ('we') drives compliance harder than shared interest.
Mechanisms
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Inputs (Triggers)
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Outputs (Behaviors)
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Behavioral Signature
'One of us' beats 'one of the best.'
Examples
- Alumni networks open doors that résumés cannot.
- In-group framing accelerates buy-in but suppresses dissent.
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Famous Experiments
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Design Principles
- Make membership criteria explicit so outsiders can be heard.
Measurement Approaches
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Evidence
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The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
- Make membership criteria explicit so outsiders can be heard.
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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.
Things feel more valuable when supply or time is limited.
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.
Clear ownership of outcomes, not just tasks.
Asymmetric information attracts the worst counterparties.
Vastness that exceeds existing schemas dissolves the self briefly.