Concept · Cognitive Bias: Decision-making and judgment biases
Attribute substitution
Origin: Kahneman & Frederick, 2002
Biological Parallel
'Is this a good mate?' is unmeasurable. 'Does this mate have bright plumage?' is visible. Peahens can't sequence peacock genes, so they substitute: symmetric tail, vibrant color, vigorous display. These proxies correlate with health and genetic quality through the handicap principle—only healthy males afford costly ornaments. Attribute substitution is biological pragmatism: measure the measurable that correlates with the unmeasurable.