Mechanism

Spell out the actual process the vague word points to: what causes what, step by step. Your indicators and cases only show that something happens; this says why it happens, which is what tells you whether a new behavior belongs in the category.

Spell out the actual process the vague word points to: what causes what, step by step. Your indicators and cases only show that something happens; this says why it happens, which is what tells you whether a new behavior belongs in the category.

Example

In the marriage: restating your partner's point before replying forces a two-second pause and a check that you heard right, which keeps the exchange below the speed where one sharp line triggers the next. That slowdown, not the politeness, is what "better communication" means here.