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What is the frequency illusion?

PsychologyLesson on requestFree to read

Quick answer

The frequency illusion (also called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon) is when something you just noticed suddenly seems to appear everywhere. It's not actually more common — your brain is simply paying more attention to it after the first encounter. Something newly noticed seems to appear everywhere.

Key things to understand

  1. Something newly noticed seems to appear everywhere.
  2. The thing isn't actually more frequent.
  3. Your brain just notices it more after first contact.
  4. It's driven by selective attention and confirmation.

People also ask

What is the frequency illusion?
The sense that something you recently noticed suddenly appears everywhere, though its frequency hasn't changed.
Why does the frequency illusion happen?
Once primed, your brain selectively notices the thing more and confirms the pattern.
What's the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon?
Another name for the frequency illusion, after people noticed a name repeatedly after first hearing it.