guia-matthieu/cognitive-biases
Apply Kahneman and Thaler's behavioral economics principles to marketing—understand how customers actually make decisions and design experiences that work with human psychology, not against it. Use when: **Improve conversion rates** by removing friction and applying behavioral nudges; **Design pricing pages** that guide customers toward optimal choices; **Write copy that resonates** with how people actually process information; **Create urgency and scarcity** that feels authentic, not manipul...
npx skills add https://github.com/guia-matthieu/clawfu-skills --skill cognitive-biases> Apply Kahneman and Thaler's behavioral economics principles to marketing—understand how customers actually make decisions and design experiences that work with human psychology, not against it.
Use this skill when you need to:
This skill is particularly valuable for:
Source: Daniel Kahneman (*Thinking, Fast and Slow*) & Richard Thaler (*Nudge*, *Misbehaving*)
Core Principle: Humans don't make decisions like rational economic agents. We use mental shortcuts (heuristics) that lead to predictable biases. Understanding these biases allows you to design marketing that works with human psychology rather than against it.
> "If you want to encourage someone to do something, make it easy."
> — Richard Thaler
| Claude Does | You Decide |
|-------------|------------|
| Structures content frameworks | Final messaging |
| Suggests persuasion techniques | Brand voice |
| Creates draft variations | Version selection |
| Identifies optimization opportunities | Publication timing |
| Analyzes competitor approaches | Strategic direction |
When invoked, I will guide you through applying cognitive biases to marketing:
Provide information about your marketing challenge:
Example prompts:
Information that helps:
All human decisions flow through two mental systems:
| System 1 (Fast) | System 2 (Slow) |
|-----------------|-----------------|
| Automatic | Deliberate |
| Unconscious | Conscious |
| Effortless | Effortful |
| Emotional | Rational |
| Intuitive | Analytical |
| Always on | Limited capacity |
Key Insight: Most purchase decisions are System 1. Your marketing must appeal to intuition and emotion, not just logic.
Application:
Design for System 1, provide System 2 justification.
1. Loss Aversion
Losses feel ~2x more painful than equivalent gains feel good.
| Instead of... | Try... |
|---------------|--------|
| "Save $50" | "Don't lose $50" |
| "Get these features" | "Don't miss these features" |
| "Sign up for updates" | "Don't miss important updates" |
Applications:
2. Anchoring Effect
First number seen influences all subsequent judgments.
Applications:
Example:
"Was $299" → "$149" (anchored to $299)
vs.
"$149" (no anchor, feels expensive)
3. Decoy Effect
A third inferior option makes target option look better.
Classic Example:
Add decoy:
Pricing Page Application:
Design three tiers where middle tier is the target. The "Enterprise" tier makes "Pro" look reasonable.
4. Framing Effect
Same information, different presentation = different decisions.
| Negative Frame | Positive Frame |
|----------------|----------------|
| 10% fat | 90% fat-free |
| 5% failure rate | 95% success rate |
| Costs $10/day | Saves you time worth $50/day |
Application: Frame benefits as gains, competition as what you avoid.
5. Scarcity Bias
Limited availability increases perceived value.
Types of Scarcity:
| Type | Example |
|------|---------|
| Quantity | "Only 3 left in stock" |
| Time | "Offer ends in 24 hours" |
| Access | "Members-only pricing" |
| Information | "Exclusive insider report" |
Warning: Fake scarcity destroys trust. Use real constraints.
6. Present Bias
Immediate rewards trump future rewards.
Applications:
7. Social Proof
People follow what others do, especially in uncertainty.
Types of Social Proof:
| Type | Example | Best For |
|------|---------|----------|
| Numbers | "50,000+ customers" | Scale, trust |
| Testimonials | "Changed my business" | Emotional connection |
| Logos | "Trusted by Nike, Google" | B2B credibility |
| Reviews | "4.8/5 from 2,000 reviews" | Consumer products |
| Activity | "John from NYC just purchased" | FOMO, activity |
| Expert | "Recommended by doctors" | Authority |
Best Practice: Match social proof to your customer's concerns.
8. Conformity/Herd Behavior
In uncertainty, people follow the crowd.
Applications:
9. Cognitive Overload
Too many options = decision paralysis = no action.
The Jam Study: 24 jam flavors → 3% bought. 6 flavors → 30% bought.
Applications:
10. Status Quo Bias
People prefer not to change, even when change is beneficial.
Applications:
Example: Opt-out organ donation vs. opt-in shows dramatic difference in participation.
11. Goal Gradient Effect
People accelerate effort as they near completion.
Applications:
Example: Loyalty card with 2 of 10 stamps pre-filled outperforms blank 8-stamp card.
12. Endowment Effect
People overvalue what they already possess.
Applications:
13. Commitment & Consistency
People act consistently with prior commitments.
Applications:
14. Optimism Bias
People overestimate positive outcomes for themselves.
Applications:
15. Availability Bias
Vivid, recent examples feel more likely.
Applications:
16. Information Aversion (Ostrich Effect)
People avoid information they fear will be negative.
Applications:
Use the UK Behavioural Insights Team's framework to structure interventions:
| Principle | Application |
|-----------|-------------|
| Easy | Reduce friction, simplify, use defaults |
| Attractive | Make it visually appealing, personalize, use incentives |
| Social | Show what others do, use social commitments |
| Timely | Intervene at decision points, use prompts |
Principles for Ethical Use:
Red Lines:
Current Problem: Visitors view pricing page but don't convert. Most choose Free tier.
Behavioral Diagnosis:
Redesigned Pricing Page:
POPULAR ↓
┌─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┐
│ BASIC │ PRO │ ENTERPRISE │
│ $29/mo │ $79/mo │ $199/mo │
├─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┤
│ 5 projects │ 25 projects │ Unlimited │
│ 1 user │ 5 users │ Unlimited │
│ Email │ Priority │ Dedicated │
│ │ Integrations│ Custom API │
│ │ Analytics │ SLA │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┘
"Trusted by 5,000+ teams"
[Start Free Trial →]
"30-day free trial, no credit card"
Biases Applied:
Additional Elements:
Current Problem: 70% cart abandonment rate
Behavioral Diagnosis:
Interventions:
1. Address Loss Aversion:
2. Reduce Cognitive Load:
3. Add Social Proof:
4. Create Urgency:
5. Commitment Devices:
Abandoned Cart Email Sequence:
Email 1 (1 hour): "You left something behind" + loss aversion ("Don't miss out")
Email 2 (24 hours): Social proof ("Customers love this") + scarcity ("Selling fast")
Email 3 (72 hours): Incentive + urgency ("10% off expires tomorrow")
For any marketing asset, check which biases you're leveraging:
Pricing & Offers:
Copy & Messaging:
User Experience:
PAGE/FLOW: _______________
GOAL: _______________
CURRENT STATE:
- Conversion rate: ____%
- Main drop-off point: _______________
- User feedback: _______________
BEHAVIORAL BARRIERS:
1. [ ] Cognitive overload (too many options/steps)
2. [ ] Loss aversion (surprise costs, uncertainty)
3. [ ] Status quo bias (no compelling reason to act)
4. [ ] Missing social proof (no validation)
5. [ ] No urgency (can decide later)
6. [ ] Other: _______________
INTERVENTIONS TO TEST:
Barrier: _______________
Bias to leverage: _______________
Specific change: _______________
Hypothesis: _______________
Barrier: _______________
Bias to leverage: _______________
Specific change: _______________
Hypothesis: _______________
MEASUREMENT:
- Primary metric: _______________
- Secondary metrics: _______________
- Test duration: _______________
| Bias | Formula | Example |
|------|---------|---------|
| Scarcity | "Only X left: [benefit]" | "Only 3 spots left: Join the masterclass" |
| Loss aversion | "Don't miss: [opportunity]" | "Don't miss: Your discount expires tonight" |
| Social proof | "[Number] people [action]" | "5,000 marketers read this newsletter" |
| Curiosity gap | "[Intriguing statement] Here's why" | "We almost didn't launch this. Here's why." |
| Personalization | "[Name], your [item] is waiting" | "Sarah, your cart is waiting" |
| Urgency | "[Time]: [action required]" | "24 hours: Complete your application" |
Primary Sources:
Additional Resources:
Take guia-matthieu/cognitive-biases from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.