← all facts
pattern recognition
You see patterns where none actually exist.
Illusory correlation causes you to perceive a relationship between two variables even when they are statistically unrelated.
In 1967, participants observed pairs of words and consistently claimed a connection existed based on semantic meaning, despite the pairing being completely random. You subconsciously filter data to confirm these false connections.
Your desire for coherence often forces a story onto random noise.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Chapman and Chapman, 1967, Journal of Abnormal Psychology
- What the check found
- The study (Chapman & Chapman, 1967, J. Abnorm. Psychol.) exists and the description is directionally accurate, though the provided reference material did not contain the text to verify the claim's specific methodology.
- Confidence
- Contested
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.