Isolation effect

Biological Parallel

When female sage grouse evaluate displaying males at leks, commonalities (all dance, all have air sacs) are cognitively invisible—only differences register. Evolution built comparison engines, not absolute evaluators: identifying the best mate requires isolating distinguishing features. This differential focus wasn't a shortcut; it was THE algorithm. Your product comparison spreadsheets highlighting only differences mirror neural machinery designed for relative, not absolute, assessment.