Choice Architecture

Biological Parallel

Flowers don't wait for pollinators to find stamens randomly—they architect the approach path with color gradients, nectar guides, and landing platforms that funnel insects to pollen. Ophrys orchids take this further: they shape petals to mimic female wasps, produce the same pheromones, and channel male pollinators into specific positions that maximize pollen transfer during attempted copulation. The South African Strelitzia (bird of paradise) builds a rigid perch; when a sunbird lands to drink nectar, its weight opens the sheath, depositing pollen onto the bird's feet—the only known plant pollinated exclusively via bird feet. The architecture of the decision environment determines outcomes. Choice architecture isn't manipulation; it's environmental design that exploits evolved navigation heuristics. Cafeterias placing fruit at eye level use the same principle: structure the environment to make desired choices the path of least resistance.