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illusion of control

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    Cognitive Bias Entry #0106

    The reason near-misses feel like progress

    An outcome that almost succeeded is registered as skill developing rather than as a loss. In a chance process there is no such thing as almost.

    Adept
    The hidden part #0106

    Proximity is only informative where skill operates. In a chance process a near-miss is a loss wearing the costume of progress.

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    Decision Architecture Entry #0137

    The reason you accept a worse deal when you chose the shortlist

    Selecting the options feels like authorship of the outcome. Ownership of the shortlist transfers to the choice made from it, whatever the shortlist excluded.

    Adept
    The hidden part #0137

    Whoever writes the shortlist makes the decision. Whoever picks from it gets the feeling of having made it.

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    Reward Loops Entry #0623

    Why a random payout feels earned rather than lucky

    A drop determined purely by chance is remembered as skill. Time and effort spent nearby get read into the outcome they had no hand in.

    Adept
    The hidden part #0623

    Effort spent near a lucky roll adopts it. The grind did not cause the drop, but the mind hands it the credit anyway.

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    Reward Loops Entry #0611

    Why watching an ad for a bonus feels like a choice

    The game offers a reward if you watch a thirty-second ad. Because you opted in, the ad you chose feels lighter than one that was forced on you.

    Novice
    The hidden part #0611

    A cost you chose is a cost you defend. The opt-in does not lower the price of your attention; it buys your consent to pay it.

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