Goldilocks concept

 The Goldilocks principle is named by analogy to the children's story "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", in which a young girl named Goldilocks tastes three different bowls of porridge and finds she prefers porridge that is neither too hot nor too cold but has just the right temperature.[1] The concept of "just the right amount" is easily understood and applied to a wide range of disciplines, including developmental psychology, biology,[2] astronomy, economics[3] and engineering.

Goldilocks is the main character in the classic children's fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, known for her golden hair and for trying the bears' porridge, chairs, and beds, finding things "just right" in the smallest sizes before being discovered and fleeing. The story teaches about choices, boundaries, and listening to parents, while the term "Goldilocks principle" or "Goldilocks zone" is used in science (like astronomy for habitable zones) and economics to describe a perfect, balanced condition.

What is the Goldilocks concept?

In cognitive science and developmental psychology, the Goldilocks effect or principle refers to an infant's preference to attend events that are neither too simple nor too complex according to their current representation of the world.