Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M2106

Sexy Lamp Test

Sexy Lamp Test
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Proposed by Kelly Sue DeConnick. If in a film you can replace a female character with a sexy lamp and the plot is completely unaffected, then the character is poorly written (merely decorative).

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

To test the agency of a character. It applies not only to gender but also to the workplace. Ask yourself: If I disappeared tomorrow and were replaced by a lamp (or any obedient person), would the project be affected? If not, you lack core value.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

The Sexy Lamp Test: If a character can be replaced by a 'sexy lamp' without affecting the plot, then that character (often female) is a flat tool; it is used to test whether a character is fully functional and not merely decorative.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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