MENTAL MODEL · M10307

Scapegoat

BehaviorHigh supportSocial Psychology

Included

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

The psychological mechanism of attributing a group's problems or failures to an innocent individual or group, thereby shifting responsibility.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Identify the scapegoat mechanism. When a problem is attributed to someone, ask: Is this the real cause or a scapegoat?

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Anchor fast decisions

Attributing group conflicts or failures to an innocent individual/group to divert anxiety and preserve the cohesion of the dominant group. The mechanism involves externalization of conflict and transfer of responsibility.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

In crises, be alert to the structure of 'finding someone to blame'
first clarify the actual cause-and-effect before assigning responsibility
avoid using a scapegoat as a substitute for systemic repair.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

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Source support: Explicit

link
en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ScapegoatZH · Explicit
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