Attentional bias

Attentional bias is a cognitive bias that describes the tendency for people's perception to be affected by their recurring thoughts at the time. It occurs when individuals give disproportionate attention to certain stimuli while ignoring others, often leading to distorted or incomplete perspectives.

How it works

Attentional bias operates by shaping where and how a person's focus is directed. This bias often leads individuals to hone in on specific details aligned with their fears, desires, or habitual thoughts. Various stimuli, whether emotional or environmental, manipulate focus, causing certain information to stand out more than other equally important inputs. For instance, someone anxious about their health may notice health-related topics more readily.

Examples

• A person with a fear of snakes may always be on high alert for sightings of snakes, noticing them even in unrelated contexts.
• Investors disproportionately focusing on information that confirms their market predictions, while ignoring contradictory data.
• In a crowd, a person might solely focus on a friend's voice while filtering out other conversations and noises.

Consequences

Attentional bias can lead to overreaction and irrational decision-making by prioritizing certain stimuli over others. This can exacerbate anxiety disorders, skew perceptions in negotiations, or influence poor choices in investing. Persistent bias can contribute to mental health issues as individuals may constantly hone in on threats or negative thoughts.

Counteracting

Counteracting attentional bias can be achieved through mindfulness and cognitive behavioral strategies. Techniques like refocusing exercises, cultivating awareness of bias, and slowly redirecting attention can help mitigate its effects. Therapeutic methods often aim to retrain thought processes to prevent undue influence of biased perceptions.

Critiques

Some argue that attentional bias is not inherently negative, as it may serve evolutionary purposes by quickly identifying threats or opportunities. Additionally, criticisms arise around the difficulties in objectively measuring and studying attentional bias since it can manifest differently across contexts and individuals.

Fields of Impact

Also known as

Relevant Research

• Attentional bias in emotional disorders.

  MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. (1986)

  Journal of Abnormal Psychology

• Attentional biases and the role of automaticity in reading research.

  Innis, N. K., & Hulstijn, W. (1995)

  Brain and Language