👉 The Linda Fluid is a thought experiment devised by psychologist John Dollard and Richard H. Thaler to illustrate how people's decisions can be influenced by irrelevant information, a phenomenon known as framing effects. In the classic example, participants are first presented with a description of Linda, a 30-year-old woman who is described as highly intelligent, outspoken, and active in social causes. After this initial description, they are then asked to rank various fluid profiles based on certain attributes: some include Linda being a bank teller, while others exclude this detail. Despite the lack of statistical relevance between these attributes, participants tend to favor profiles that include Linda being a bank teller, demonstrating how easily irrelevant information can skew judgment and decision-making. This highlights the cognitive biases that lead individuals to make choices based on perceived relevance rather than actual probability, challenging traditional economic models of rational decision-making.
