Scientific Definition
We act in ways that confirm 'people like me do things like this.'
Plain-English Definition
We act in ways that confirm 'people like me do things like this.'
Feynman Explanation
Don't change the behavior. Change who they think they are.
Core Principle
We act in ways that confirm 'people like me do things like this.'
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
We act in ways that confirm 'people like me do things like this.'
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Brand and culture work because identity drives behavior.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
Don't change the behavior. Change who they think they are.
Examples
- Voters mobilized by 'be a voter' framing outperform 'voting' framing.
- Brand and culture work because identity drives behavior.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Frame asks as identity-confirming, not as effortful exceptions.
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.
- Frame asks as identity-confirming, not as effortful exceptions.
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.
Effort accelerates as the goal gets closer.
Lifetime purpose → multi-year missions → annual goals → quarterly bets → weekly actions.
Approach motivation — pursuit of rewards and goals.
Avoidance motivation — sensitivity to punishment, uncertainty, and threat.
Evaluating an argument's logic based on whether you agree with the conclusion.
Unites millions around ideas
Giving someone artificial early progress increases the chance they finish.
Decisions optimize utility, not value.
Probability × payoff, summed across outcomes.
Temporal landmarks (Monday, January, birthday) trigger new behavior attempts.
What people expect of themselves shapes what they achieve.
Decisions are shaped by who we believe we are — not only by monetary payoffs.