The Joseph effect is a term coined by the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot, postulating that movements in time tend to be part of larger trends and cycles more often than they are random.
The Joseph effect is a term borrowed from the Old Testament story of the Pharaoh’s dream told by Joseph, which made the ancient Egyptians expect a seven-year famine to follow after seven years of abundant harvest.
The seven good years are known as the Joseph effect, and the seven bad years are known as the Noah effect.