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Learnings Mental Models

The Cobra Effect: Unintended Consequences and the Dangers of Misaligned Incentives

Introduction In the realm of decision-making, the Cobra Effect stands as a cautionary tale—a mental model that reminds us of the perils of unintended consequences. Coined after a historical anecdote from British colonial India, the Cobra Effect refers to a situation in which an attempted solution to a problem only exacerbates it. This concept sheds […]