A reference for how the Behavioural Atlas works: its structure, its purpose, and its limits.
The Behavioural Atlas is a collection of cognitive biases, effects, laws, and fallacies arranged as a network. Every entry is connected to the mechanism that produces it and to the concepts it relates to, so you can see how ideas fit together as well as what each one means.
Each node is one behavioural concept: a bias, an effect, a law, or a fallacy.
The network has three levels. Core nodes describe broad limits of the mind, such as cognitive overload and limited memory. Under each core sit mechanisms, the processes the mind uses to cope with that limit. Under each mechanism sit the phenomena it produces. The groupings are organisational aids, not strict categories.
The Atlas is a reference for behavioural science. You can use it to:
The Atlas is not complete and does not claim final authority. Behavioural science changes, and definitions shift with it.
Many biases overlap, and some are debated or later folded into broader mechanisms. The Atlas reflects a working model of the field.
Distance in the graph is a rough guide to how closely two concepts relate, not a measurement of anything.
Biases rarely act alone; they arise from interacting constraints such as limited attention, limited memory, personal history, and the presence of other biases.
The Atlas therefore emphasises connections over categories. Treat it as a scaffold for exploration, not as a settled taxonomy.
Ready to explore?
Open the Atlas or browse the full behaviour library.