Feedback Loop
A system where output returns as input, creating a cycle of cause and effect that influences future behavior.
A feedback loop is a system where the output of a process is returned as input, influencing subsequent behavior and creating a cycle of cause and effect. Found in engineering, biology, and social systems, it can amplify changes (positive loop) or stabilize them (negative loop), driving evolution or equilibrium.
What this means in real life
A student who struggles with math avoids studying it, falls further behind, feels more anxious about the subject, and avoids it even more—a negative spiral where each stage worsens the next.
What it isn’t
Not simply cause-and-effect or a one-way chain of events. A true feedback loop requires the end result to circle back and influence the beginning, creating a cycle rather than a linear sequence.
Commonly misused online
Often used to mean 'vicious cycle' or 'downward spiral' exclusively, when feedback loops can be positive (reinforcing) or negative (stabilizing). Social media amplifies the positive-loop meaning, ignoring the stabilizing kind.