Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M0565

Strategic Misrepresentation

Strategic Misrepresentation
DecideHigh supportGame Theory
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

When seeking project approval, planners deliberately underestimate costs and overestimate benefits, which is not merely optimism bias but a 'political lie' to secure resources.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Audit defense. When reviewing a business plan, directly multiply costs by 2 and divide benefits by 2. Understand that the other party, in order to 'get the project approved', will inevitably beautify the data. This is a necessity of systemic games.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Refers to participants deliberately misreporting preferences or information in a mechanism for their own benefit, revealing that poorly designed mechanisms can induce lying.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

  • link
    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planning_fallacyZH · Explicit
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