Cognitive Scaffold

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MENTAL MODEL · M5994

Prion

Prion
TechnicalHigh supportPhysics
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

A misfolded protein that contains no DNA/RNA, yet can induce other normal proteins to misfold in the same way through contact, triggering a chain reaction (e.g., mad cow disease). This is a 'structure-based infection'.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

The assimilative power of a bad exemplar. If an organization has a 'misfolded' core employee (e.g., capable but with distorted values), he will act like a prion, inducing structural changes in surrounding normal employees through daily contact. This contagion is physical and requires physical isolation.

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A class of misfolded proteins (prions) that can induce the same misfolding in normal homologous proteins in the body, propagating in a self-replicating manner, leading to neurodegenerative diseases. The mechanism is conformational 'infectious' replication.

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