Example of Attentional Bias
- Someone who fears flying notices and remembers every instance of turbulence and news story about plane crashes, while barely registering the thousands of safe flights, maintaining an exaggerated perception of flight danger.
Attention selectively focused on threatening information related to their fear. - A person on a diet finds themselves constantly noticing food advertisements, restaurants, and other people eating, making it harder to maintain dietary goals.
Current concerns and goals bias attention toward relevant stimuli in the environment.
Note
Studied extensively in cognitive psychology and clinical research, particularly regarding attention and anxiety, depression, and addiction disorders.
