眼镜蛇效应指的是针对某问题的解决方案，反而使到该问题恶化。

眼镜蛇效应一词来自殖民时期印度的逸闻：英国政府计划要减少眼镜蛇的数量，因而颁布法令说每打死一条眼镜蛇都可以领取赏金。然而印度人为了赏金反而开始养殖眼镜蛇。当英国政府意识到这种情况而取消赏金后，养殖蛇的人把蛇都放了；放出去的蛇继而大量繁殖，结果眼镜蛇种群数量反而上升。现今该术语用于形容政治和经济政策下错误的刺激机制。很不幸的是当今世界面临的一些问题，的确来源于为解决问题而作出的正当尝试。

The cobra effect occurs when an attempted solution to a problem actually makes the problem worse. This is an instance of unintended consequences. The term is used to illustrate the causes of incorrect stimulation in economy and politics. There is also a 2001 book with the same title by German economist Horst Siebert.