Apophenia: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Cloud face.jpg|alt=Cloud face|thumb|'''Figure 1'''. A random distribution of water vapour is seen as a face.]]

'''Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.''' When apophenia occurs in human vision it is termed pareidolia, a common example of which is seeing the image of a face in a cloud ('''Figure 1''').

'''Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.''' When apophenia occurs in human vision it is termed [[pareidolia]], a common example of which is seeing the image of a face in a cloud ('''Figure 1''').

It is a type of [[Cognitive Biases|cognitive bias]] that can lead people to see meaning or significance in things that are actually random or insignificant. Apophenia can be a normal part of human cognition and can sometimes lead to creative insights, but it can also lead to distorted or irrational thinking and beliefs. Some people may experience apophenia to a greater degree and may be more prone to forming irrational beliefs or making unsupported conclusions based on limited or incomplete information. In some cases, apophenia may be a symptom of a [[Mental Illness|mental illness]], such as schizophrenia.

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 [[File:Cloud face.jpg|alt=Cloud face|thumb|'''Figure 1'''. A random distribution of water vapour is seen as a face.]]
-'''Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.''' When apophenia occurs in human vision it is termed pareidolia, a common example of which is seeing the image of a face in a cloud ('''Figure 1''').
+'''Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.''' When apophenia occurs in human vision it is termed [[pareidolia]], a common example of which is seeing the image of a face in a cloud ('''Figure 1''').
 It is a type of [[Cognitive Biases|cognitive bias]] that can lead people to see meaning or significance in things that are actually random or insignificant. Apophenia can be a normal part of human cognition and can sometimes lead to creative insights, but it can also lead to distorted or irrational thinking and beliefs. Some people may experience apophenia to a greater degree and may be more prone to forming irrational beliefs or making unsupported conclusions based on limited or incomplete information. In some cases, apophenia may be a symptom of a [[Mental Illness|mental illness]], such as schizophrenia.

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