Manipulation Pattern Taxonomy
This registry classifies every entry in the Technique Index by pattern family — engagement & compulsion, obstruction & sludge, sneaking & defaults, consent theater, misdirection & confirmshaming, recommendation & feed, and targeting & segmentation. Each technique carries two independent grades: a verification status indicating evidentiary standing, and a Potency Level (PL) classifying the degree of autonomy impairment. Use the filters below to narrow the view, or expand any family to browse its records. See also the Counter-Pattern Lab for active countermeasure research.
Registry Overview
Potency Levels
The Potency Level (PL) measures how severely a technique impairs autonomous decision-making:
PL-1 guides without restricting choice (defaults, color emphasis). PL-2 exploits specific cognitive biases (social proof, scarcity timers). PL-3 creates behavioral dependency (variable reward schedules, streak anxiety). PL-4 effectively removes meaningful choice (roach motel patterns, coerced consent).
Verification Statuses
Each technique's evidentiary standing in the registry:
Confirmed Documented Covert Classified