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All assessments are conducted in accordance with the modified Mohs protocol (Mohs, 1812; revised internally 2019), adapted to permit evaluation of non-mineral substrates including phrases, decisions, emotional states, and abstract concepts.
The assessment scale ranges from 1.0 (talc; absolute structural softness) to 10.0 (diamond; theoretical maximum). Intermediate values are interpolated by panel consensus and verified against control specimens drawn from the Institute's reference collection.
Findings reflect observed behavior under standardized conditions. The Institute makes no claim regarding the suitability of any specimen for a specific application. Field reports submitted by the public are reviewed quarterly but are not held to the same epistemic standard.
The Institute does not respond to requests for re-evaluation submitted by the specimens themselves.
The Institute for Behavioral & Empirical Hardness Research was founded to address a gap in the literature: the systematic, repeatable assessment of hardness across substrates that do not present in mineral form.
Funding is provided by an anonymous donor whose identity is known to four members of the senior staff and whose continuing support is contingent on the Institute making no further inquiries.
The Institute maintains a working catalog of approximately 30 verified specimens. Additional candidates are under review. Prior catalog entries are not retracted; reassessment is permitted but rare.