Feedback Loops
Positive feedback amplifies, negative feedback stabilizes. These loops govern everything from markets to climate to relationships.
A feedback loop exists when the output of a system feeds back as input, modifying future behavior. Positive (reinforcing) loops amplify change: compound interest, viral growth, arms races, and self-fulfilling prophecies. Negative (balancing) loops resist change: thermostats, predator-prey dynamics, and market corrections. Most complex systems contain both types interacting. The key insight is that system behavior emerges from loop structure, not from individual components. Understanding feedback loops is the first step toward designing interventions that work with the system rather than against it — pulling leverage points rather than pushing against resistance.