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The Incentives Lab
HBT-COG-0703 · Dimension COG · Cognition

Wisdom of Crowds

Aggregated independent judgments can be more accurate than individual experts.

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

Scientific Definition

Aggregated independent judgments can be more accurate than individual experts.

Plain-English Definition

Aggregated independent judgments can be more accurate than individual experts.

Feynman Explanation

A thousand guesses average closer to the truth than one expert guess.

Core Principle

Aggregated independent judgments can be more accurate than individual experts.

Mechanisms

Psychological

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Economic

Aggregated independent judgments can be more accurate than individual experts.

Neurological

Pending editorial review.

Evolutionary

Pending editorial review.

Sociological

Pending editorial review.

Computational

Pending editorial review.

Systems

Diverse, independent opinions improve forecasting.

Inputs (Triggers)

Pending editorial review.

Outputs (Behaviors)

Pending editorial review.

Behavioral Signature

A thousand guesses average closer to the truth than one expert guess.

Examples

Everyday
  • Prediction markets forecast elections better than pundits.
Modern (Organizational)
  • Diverse, independent opinions improve forecasting.
Historical

Pending editorial review.

Famous Experiments

Pending editorial review.

Design Principles

  • Aggregate judgments before group discussion to avoid herding.

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
Diverse, independent opinions improve forecasting.
Amplifying Incentives
Diverse, independent opinions improve forecasting.
Org Failure Modes
Diverse, independent opinions improve forecasting.
Societal Failure Modes
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Ethical Considerations
Pending editorial review (HBT v1.0 auto-seed).
Redesign Strategies
Aggregate judgments before group discussion to avoid herding.
Diagnostic Questions
  • Aggregate judgments before group discussion to avoid herding.
Warning Signs

Pending editorial review.

Red Flags

Pending editorial review.

Intervention Playbook
Individual
Aggregate judgments before group discussion to avoid herding.
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-0703 · COG
Wisdom of Crowds
WOAPAbilene ParadoxADActon's DictumABActor-Observer BiasALAffinity / Liking BiasAlAltruismAsAstroturfingAPAttitude PolarizationABAttribution BiasBEBarnum EffectBJBecause Justification

Knowledge Graph Neighbors

Version History

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