So after I sharpen the cutters I find that the saw cuts easier and slightly less aggressive (relative to chip thickness) than the prior sharpening(s).
Right. Because the top plate of the cutter is angled, when you grind/file/wear it back, it is also lowered, and the offset between the cutting edge and the depth gauge is reduced slightly. That is why you should check this after sharpening. As a practical matter, the difference is often not noticeable after a light, touch-up sharpening, but gradually becomes significant.
So, if you reduce this offset from 0.025 inches (or whatever) to 0.020 inches (or whatever) you will be taking a thinner, less aggressive bite.
I like to think of it as adjusting the iron (blade) on a woodworking plane. If the depth setting is too high, the plane will glide right across the wood, without taking any bite. If the depth setting is too low, the blade will try to dig in, and you will get a jerky, rough cut at best. If the depth is adjusted just right for the wood you are planing, ***and the blade is sharp***, you will end up with big, pretty curls of wood, and a big, dumb grin on your face.
The difference with chain saw chain is that you can adjust the depth of a plane iron up and down; on saw chain, you can file away (remove) metal, but you really can't add it back. So it make sense to do this incrementally.
Philbert