Baader-Meinhof phenomenon
What is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon?
The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, also known as frequency illusion, is a cognitive bias in which something you have recently noticed or learned suddenly seems to pop up everywhere. This is not an actual increase in frequency, but rather a heightened awareness of that particular thing.
How does the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon work?
The phenomenon works because your brain pays extra attention to new information, making it seem like you encounter that information more often. Your perception of the frequency of that information is therefore distorted.
An example of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon
Suppose you just learned about a specific car model, and then suddenly you seem to see that model everywhere on the road. This is an example of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon in action. Your awareness is heightened, making you pay more attention to that specific model, whereas before you may have just not noticed it.
