Principlev1PR-1504
Design behavioral chains as modular architectures of 3-5…
Design behavioral chains as modular architectures of 3-5 sub-chains when total length exceeds 7-8 links, with each sub-chain having its own independent anchor and terminal reward to prevent cascading failure.
Why This Is a Principle
This derives from Working Memory Capacity Limit (working memory holds ~4 items), Hierarchical Chunking Expands Capacity (chunking and hierarchical organization), Complex systems that work evolved from simple systems… (complex systems evolved from simple systems that worked), and Chain reliability is multiplicative — the probability… (chain reliability is multiplicative). The principle prescribes a specific modular architecture to address two independent constraints: multiplicative reliability decay (longer chains fail more) and working memory limits (tracking too many non-automatic links causes overload). It's general enough to apply to any complex behavioral sequence while specific enough to provide structural guidance.