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CEFR C2 — Proficiency

Apophenia

Definition

(psychology, formal) The experience of seeing meaningful patterns or connections in random or meaningless data, often as a result of cognitive bias or an attempt to impose order on chaos. Typically observed in situations where individuals are under stress, fatigued, or experiencing sensory overload.

Example Sentences

1The conspiracy theorist's apophenia led her to believe that a series of unrelated events were, in fact, connected by a sinister plot.
2Is the tendency towards apophenia an inevitable consequence of the human brain's attempt to make sense of an inherently unpredictable world?
3Researchers have identified apophenia as a common feature of paranoid thinking, where individuals perceive threats or patterns that are not actually present.
4The artist's use of random patterns and shapes was intended to induce a state of apophenia in the viewer, challenging their perceptions of meaning and reality.
5There is a fine line between creative insight and apophenia; while the former can lead to innovative breakthroughs, the latter can result in misinterpretation and confusion.

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