Concept · Startup & Growth Frameworks
Mom Test
Origin: Rob Fitzpatrick (2013)
Biological Parallel
Fork-tailed drongos exploit meerkat alarm call trust. Cuckoos and cowbirds parasitize parental recognition systems. Chimpanzees practice calculated tactical deception. Photuris fireflies mimic mating signals to kill. The Mom Test applies the handicap principle: honest answers emerge only when the cost of lying equals or exceeds the cost of truth.