Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M2198

Sonder

Sonder
BehaviorHigh supportPersonal Development
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Refers to the sudden realization that every stranger you pass has a life as vivid, complex, and detailed as your own. You are a supporting character in their story, just as they are in yours.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Breaks self-centeredness. This is a profound moment of insight that can instantly expand our capacity for empathy, making us approach the world with awe and gentleness.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Reminds us that every stranger carries unseen experiences, and we should interpret their actions with kindness. Its mechanism reduces the 'fundamental attribution error'—attributing others' behavior too much to character rather than situation.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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