LOCK-IN EFFECT
Charles François (2004). LOCK-IN EFFECT, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1940.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1940 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
The way a system becomes more or less irreversibly dependent on its former adaptations
This is a universal effect, from oxygen dependence for breathing of superior animals (which is absolute) to the strong dependence of modern transportation on non-renewable fossil fuels as their source of energy.
The lock-in effect may easily become dangerously critical and its possibility should be carefully evaluated when some new adaptation is considered.
This is why the principle that “fit is not forever”is important and also why adaptability is to be always maintained as much as possible.
See also
Caution principle