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Have you ever started noticing a word or a concept more frequently after learning about it? Chances are that your answer to this question is yes, as it is an occurrence that most of us have experienced firsthand. Interestingly enough, it is not a mere coincidence, but an event that can be explained in psychological terms–and it is referred to as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.
The Frequency Illusion, or the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, is a cognitive bias which occurs once an individual notices a particular word, phrase or idea more frequently after they have been made aware of it. The term was coined in 1994 by Terry Mullen, who explained the phenomenon in a letter he wrote to a Minnesota newspaper. Mullen described how in a conversation with a friend, he had talked about the once infamous West German Baader-Meinhof gang. The following day, the same friend had referred Mullen to an article which was published in that day’s newspaper, decades after the gang would’ve served as a newsworthy story. He was fascinated by the fact that he had heard the gang’s name twice within 24 hours, and, as a result, had decided to name the phenomenon after the West German group. However, it was not until 2005, when the term “frequency illusion” was coined by a Stanford linguistics professor, Arnold Zwicky.
Zwicky believed that the illusion was a result of 2 different psychological processes:
- Selective attention;
- Confirmation bias.
Selective attention refers to the ability to select and focus on certain stimuli in the environment, while simultaneously being able to suppress the peripheral or distracting information. In essence, humans have an unconscious cognitive ability of filtering information and choosing which stimuli they would like to place their attention towards. Frequency illusion and selective attention have a cause-and-effect relationship meaning that the “frequent” word or concept must be selective.
Confirmation bias, on the other hand, is the tendency to seek information that confirms your existing beliefs, with a complete disregard for any contradictory evidence. The bias takes place once the individual has already started noticing the stimulus (in the later stage of selective attention). By focusing on this stimulus, the individual will start noticing it more, thereby confirming the idea that the stimulus occurs more frequently, despite the fact that, in reality, the frequency has not changed.
REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES:
1 – The 11:11 Illusion
One of the most popular examples of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon is the 11:11 illusion, where people believe that when they look at a clock, the time is 11 minutes past 11 more often than they’d expect it to be. Logically, we know that in a day 11:11 occurs twice, so why does it feel as if it occurs more frequently? Well, it is most likely confirmation bias that is guiding your beliefs. If someone tells you that you have a higher chance of seeing 11:11, you will consequently be more likely to notice it when the time arrives and you glance at the clock. Despite the fact that you might look at the clock several times during the day, you ought to only focus on the instances in which you actually see 11:11–which is why you might believe that you see it more often.
2 – The Red (or Blue) Car Syndrome
This syndrome refers to the people who purposefully decided to buy a red or a blue car, as a way to stand out among the crowd, only to find themselves surrounded by cars that are the same colour. This is your brain subconsciously looking for cars of the particular colour, which is why you start noticing them more often.
3 – Learning a New Word
Many have reported that after learning a new word they begin noticing it more frequently in, for example, the videos they watch or the books they read. Once your brain has deemed a word as relevant, you will begin actively searching for it everywhere.
SO, WHAT EFFECTS DOES IT HAVE ON US?
For the most part, the frequency illusion is not harmful, as it does not necessarily negatively interfere with an individual’s personal life. However, professionally speaking, problems may arise as we consider how cognitive biases could have a detrimental effect on the decision-making process. For instance, once a psychiatrist learns about a newly discovered condition, they may be prone to diagnosing it more frequently, which would have a large impact on, let’s say, the patient’s treatment. Similar examples can be encountered in other professional fields as well.
Additionally, individuals suffering from conditions such as schizophrenia can be negatively impacted by the frequency illusion, as they may be tricked into believing that they are seeing or hearing things more often, thereby worsening their symptoms.
Overall, the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon is an intriguing cognitive bias which affects how we perceive the frequency of words and ideas. Whether it is constantly noticing the same time on the clock or seeing the same car everywhere, the frequency illusion serves as a constant reminder of our brain’s ability to control and shape our perception of the world.
By: Sara Janković
Bibliography
Psychology Today: [Frequency Illusion] ://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/frequency-illusion
Healthline: [What the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon Is and Why You May See It Again… and Again] https://www.healthline.com/health/baader-meinhof-phenomenon#what-it-is
SciTechDaily: [The Frequency Illusion: Why You’ll Probably Hear the Name Baader-Meinhof Again Soon] https://scitechdaily.com/the-frequency-illusion-why-youll-probably-hear-the-name-baader-meinhof-again-soon/
The Lighthouse: [What is the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon?] https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/july-2020/What-is-the-Baader-Meinhof-Phenomenon
IFLScience: [What Is The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon, The Effect You Will Now Notice Everywhere?] https://www.iflscience.com/what-is-the-baader-meinhof-phenomenon-the-effect-you-will-now-notice-everywhere-70595
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_illusion
Zwicky, A. M. (2006). Why are we so illuded? Stanford University. https://web.stanford.edu/~zwicky/LSA07illude.abst.pdf
A.P.E. 
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