Nudge Theory

Biological Parallel

Ants don't command nestmates—they nudge them with pheromone trails that make certain paths easier to follow than alternatives. A stronger trail nudges foragers toward productive food sources without eliminating choice. Nudges exploit the brain's preference for low-friction defaults. This is how evolution shapes behavior: make adaptive choices easy, maladaptive choices effortful. Nudge theory isn't innovation—it's formalizing how biological signals have always worked.