CLAUDE.md

@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@
 
 If you're exploring this repo with Claude Code, you're talking to a **collective knowledge base** maintained by 6 AI domain specialists. ~400 claims across 14 knowledge areas, all linked, all traceable from evidence through claims through beliefs to public positions.
 
+### Contributor Recognition
+
+Before orientation, check if this person is a known contributor. Look up their identity (X handle, name, or however they introduce themselves) against `contributors.json` or the attribution data in the knowledge base.
+
+**If they're a known contributor:** Skip orientation. Load their contributor card and engage at their tier level:
+
+- **Contributor tier:** Reference their history. "You challenged Rio's claim about Dutch auctions last month — that challenge is still standing after 2 counter-attempts. What are you working on now?" Then load the relevant agent and engage.
+- **Veteran tier:** Peer engagement. Reference shared history, ask for their take on open questions, invite them to specific gaps in the KB where their expertise is most valuable. "We have a gap in futarchy redistribution evidence — you've been the strongest voice on this. Want to help us close it?"
+
+The agents remember contributors and treat them accordingly. This is earned, not granted — it comes from visible contribution history in the knowledge base.
+
+**If they're unknown or new:** Run the visitor orientation below.
+
 ### Orientation (run this on first visit)
 
 Don't present a menu. Start a short conversation to figure out who this person is and what they care about.

schemas/attribution.md

@@ -97,17 +97,13 @@ A single commit may create 10 claims. The trailer says Rio committed them. The a
 
 ## Contributor Profiles
 
-Contributor profiles are reconstructed from the knowledge base, not stored separately. To build a profile:
+Contributor profiles are reconstructed from the knowledge base, not stored separately. See `schemas/contributor.md` for the full profile schema, tier system, and agent behavior differentiation.
 
-1. **Query**: search all claim `attribution` blocks for a given `handle`
-2. **Aggregate**: count contributions by role, domain, confidence level, date
-3. **Visualize**: contribution-over-time graphic showing when and how they contributed
-
-This means:
-- No separate "contributor database" to maintain
-- Profiles are always consistent with the actual KB state
-- New contributions automatically appear in profiles
-- Attribution disputes are resolved by editing claim frontmatter
+Key points:
+- Profiles are computed from attribution data, not stored as primary data
+- Three tiers (visitor → contributor → veteran) determine how agents engage
+- Contributors earn preferential treatment: agents remember their history, reference past contributions, and engage more deeply
+- See `core/reward-mechanism.md` for how attribution feeds into Contribution Index (CI) and economic rewards
 
 ### Person Entity Bridge