The frequency illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, is the sense that something recently noticed for the first time, such as a word, a name or a product, suddenly seems to appear everywhere afterward. It arises from a combination of selective attention, in which the mind unconsciously starts watching for further instances of the newly noticed thing, and confirmation bias, in which each new instance seems to confirm the impression of a genuine increase in frequency even though the underlying rate of occurrence has not actually changed. The informal name comes from a 1994 newspaper reader's letter describing the effect after twice hearing about the West German militant group the Baader-Meinhof Gang in a short span of time.
Facts
Core ClaimThe bias is a mix of selective attention, newly noticing instances that were always around, and confirmation bias, more readily registering hits that fit the pattern; the earlier folk name came from a reader's letter, while the current name, frequency illusion, was proposed by a Stanford linguist over a decade later. 1 First Described Year Classification
Type of Phenomenon Sources
1. Wikipedia: Frequency illusion
Wikimedia Foundationlead paragraph, definition
The frequency illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, is a cognitive bias in which a person notices a specific concept, word, or product more frequently after recently becoming aware of it.
lead section, defining sentence
The frequency illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, is a cognitive bias in which a person notices a specific concept, word, or product more frequently after recently becoming aware of it.
origin/history passage
The name "Baader-Meinhof phenomenon" was coined in 1994 by Terry Mullen in a letter to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
The frequency illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, is a cognitive bias in which a person notices a specific concept, word, or product more frequently after recently becoming aware of it.
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