What is Multiple Tendencies?

Multiple Tendencies is a mental model used for better thinking and decision-making.

How do you apply Multiple Tendencies?

To apply Multiple Tendencies, identify situations where this framework is relevant, then use it as a lens to evaluate your options and decisions. The model is most useful when combined with other complementary mental models.

What category does Multiple Tendencies fall under?

Multiple Tendencies falls under the Psychology & Behavior category of mental models. Other models in this category can be found on the Psychology & Behavior hub page.

Why is Multiple Tendencies important?

Multiple Tendencies is important because it provides a structured way to think about problems that would otherwise be approached with intuition alone. Understanding this model helps you avoid common reasoning errors and make better decisions.

Where does Multiple Tendencies come from?

Multiple Tendencies is discussed in the tradition of Charlie Munger.

Psychology & Behavior

Multiple Tendencies

Model #0949Category: Psychology & BehaviorSource: Charlie MungerDepth to apply:

4 min read

Contents

1. Core Idea
2. How to See It
3. How to Use It
4. Founders & Leaders
5. Connected Models
6. One Key Quote
7. Summary & Further Reading

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Leaders who apply this model

Playbooks and public thinking from people closely associated with this idea.

PersonCharlie Munger

Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett's partner for 60+ years.

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Psychology & Behavior

Section 1

Core Idea

Multiple Tendencies refers to the reality that human behaviour is rarely driven by a single psychological force. At any given moment, several cognitive biases, emotional drives, and social pressures operate simultaneously — sometimes reinforcing each other, sometimes cancelling out, and sometimes combining to produce effects that no single tendency could produce alone. The concept is central to Munger's framework: understanding one bias in isolation is useful but insufficient. The real power — and the real danger — comes when multiple tendencies converge on the same decision. A founder might be simultaneously experiencing commitment bias (they've been working on this for years), social proof (other startups are raising), optimism bias (they believe their market is bigger than it is), and incentive-caused bias (their compensation is tied to milestones). Each tendency alone might be manageable; together they produce what Munger calls a "lollapalooza effect" — an outcome far more extreme than any single tendency would predict.