Apophenia

Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things. A common example of this is seeing the image of a face in a cloud (Figure 1. Seeing patterns in random data).

Figure 1. A random distribution of water vapour is seen as a face.

It is a type of 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, such as schizophrenia.