Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

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I dunno how many times I can type in "confirmation bias" (etc)

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That was probably a bit harsh of me. I have no patience at all explaining things twice. Oops.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

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I got 1450 on my SAT and 25 on my ACT, but look at that [censored, [censored] Gulf of [censored] Mexico

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pretty large disparity there between your SAT and ACT scores.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

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I dunno how many times I can type in "confirmation bias" (etc)

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That was probably a bit harsh of me. I have no patience at all explaining things twice. Oops.

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Actually, you have only described it (twice). The why this happens is an unknown – my question was mostly rhetorical, for discussion purposes.

Why is the bias towards recognition (when we hear it), rather than towards recognizing when we don’t hear the word soon after.

(I probably should have posted this in SMP.)

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

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Why is the bias towards recognition (when we hear it), rather than towards recognizing when we don’t hear the word soon after.

(I probably should have posted this in SMP.)

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Confirmation bias is cool. It's a powerful concept that isn't particularly intuitive, and applies to loads of things. My best attempt at describing it in this case:

Your brain creates rules that spots patterns. We're very good at pattern recognition, and infact a little too good - we spot patterns where there are none.

Thus when you're faced with random data (like this is, effectively), you sometimes create rules for the pseudo-patterns on it. It's natural that you do not have any rules for absences of pattern, because absence of pattern describes 99.99% of our world.

The confirmation bias is spotting things that fit into the rules your brain has created, and discarding things that do not.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

unctuous

When I looked it up I found out it was me.


I also find that when I learn a new word or saying, I will invariably hear or read it somewhere again within the next couple days.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

I have had the experience of reading a word and sounding it out in my head but upon hearing it spoken I realize I was pronouncing it wrong.

eg.

centrifical

i had read it but not heard it and pronounced it SEN-tri-fic-al, when it is actually sen-TRIF-i-cal.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

somewhat off-topic, but this reminds me of how i used to think there was a word "brotued" which meant "sponsored," because at the end of tv shows they used to say "brought to you so-and-so." i was about 16 or 17 when it finally clicked - man, what a revelation!

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

I was not aware that the Gulf of Mexico had been elevated to ocean status.

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

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I have had the experience of reading a word and sounding it out in my head but upon hearing it spoken I realize I was pronouncing it wrong.

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I've done that as well. My example is "hors d'œuvres." I was about 19 when I realized this was "orderves."

Re: Hearing a word the first time in your life.
 

In response to your question, I just think your brain is susceptible to linking/recalling new things once you learn them. For instance if you had never learned the meaning of or seen the word the subsequent occurrences of it would have had no special significance. However, since it was fresh your brain was eager to see it in different situations because it enforced the knowledge you already had.

The green chevy syndrome like it is said above is pretty much the same thing. Another example is if you are having an emotionally hard time (e.g. a breakup) then all songs on the radio, programming on the TV, and conversations with those around you are somehow related in your brain to your breakup or breaking up in general.

I'm not sure if I answered your question of if you are just going to say why again, but I think it's all there. Not very scientific, but it seems to make sense. To me at least.