Scientific Definition
Pairing a sensory cue with a desired internal state until the cue reliably evokes the state.
Plain-English Definition
Pairing a sensory cue with a desired internal state until the cue reliably evokes the state.
Feynman Explanation
Pavlov in a turtleneck. Same mechanism; better marketing.
Core Principle
Pairing a sensory cue with a desired internal state until the cue reliably evokes the state.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
Pairing a sensory cue with a desired internal state until the cue reliably evokes the state.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
State management for high-stakes performance moments — pitches, keynotes, negotiations.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
Pavlov in a turtleneck. Same mechanism; better marketing.
Examples
- Bandler & Grinder's classic NLP pattern; sibling to classical conditioning.
- State management for high-stakes performance moments — pitches, keynotes, negotiations.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Build one positive anchor deliberately. Test it under stress before relying on it.
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.
- Build one positive anchor deliberately. Test it under stress before relying on it.
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.
Firing two opposing emotional anchors simultaneously to neutralize a negative state.
Alignment between verbal message, tone, posture, and underlying intent. Audiences detect the gap.
A negotiation between conscious goals and the unconscious 'positive intention' behind a problem behavior.
Rapidly replacing an unwanted internal image with a desired one to disrupt a habitual response.
The first number on the table silently sets the range for every number after it.
Following the group instead of using private information or independent judgment.
How will I feel about this in 10 minutes / 10 months / 10 years?
Basics first (health/finances), then depth (mastery/impact), then altruism (widening circle).
A group decides on a course of action that nobody actually wants, because everyone assumes others prefer it.
Inattention or forgetfulness caused by low attention, hyperfocus, or distraction.
Deriving general rules from specific examples; the leap from instance to concept.
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.