Attentional bias
The tendency for our attention to be pulled toward things tied to our current worries, desires, or habits, while other information goes unnoticed. What we attend to then shapes what we believe and decide.
Researchers debate how strong this bias is: the standard lab tests measure it unreliably, and some large studies found little sign of it in people with anxiety disorders.
In everyday life
A person anxious about their health focuses on every small ache and overlooks the many signs that they feel fine.
Worried about layoffs, you sit through an hour-long company meeting and walk out remembering only one passing mention of 'cutting costs', having missed the news about new hires.
Why your mind does this
We take in far more than we can handle, so the brain uses what is already active in memory as a filter. Things we met recently, often, or with strong feeling are likely to matter again, so pushing them forward saves time and effort.
Its family, in 30 seconds: Primed & repeated
How to spot it
Notice when your mind keeps snapping to one kind of detail, such as threats, food, or money, that matches what you are already preoccupied with.
How to counter it
Write down all the relevant information in front of you, including the parts unrelated to your worry, before drawing a conclusion.