Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M6474

ABC

ABC
BehaviorHigh supportPsychology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Activating event → Belief → Consequence. Emotions are not directly caused by events, but by your beliefs about them.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Emotional debugging. When you are angry, don't blame A (the event), check B (your belief). Change B, and C (the emotion) will naturally change.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Based on the 'cognitive mediation' theory (Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy). Emotion C is not directly triggered by event A, but mediated by belief B; changing B can change C.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
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Source support: Explicit

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