Attentional bias
Attentional bias is a cognitive bias that describes the tendency for people's perception to be affected by their recurring thoughts at the time. It occurs when individuals give disproportionate attention to certain stimuli while ignoring others, often leading to distorted or incomplete perspectives.
How it works
Attentional bias operates by shaping where and how a person's focus is directed. This bias often leads individuals to hone in on specific details aligned with their fears, desires, or habitual thoughts. Various stimuli, whether emotional or environmental, manipulate focus, causing certain information to stand out more than other equally important inputs. For instance, someone anxious about their health may notice health-related topics more readily.
Examples
- A person with a fear of snakes may always be on high alert for sightings of snakes, noticing them even in unrelated contexts.
- Investors disproportionately focusing on information that confirms their market predictions, while ignoring contradictory data.
- In a crowd, a person might solely focus on a friend's voice while filtering out other conversations and noises.
Consequences
Attentional bias can lead to overreaction and irrational decision-making by prioritizing certain stimuli over others. This can exacerbate anxiety disorders, skew perceptions in negotiations, or influence poor choices in investing. Persistent bias can contribute to mental health issues as individuals may constantly hone in on threats or negative thoughts.
Counteracting
Counteracting attentional bias can be achieved through mindfulness and cognitive behavioral strategies. Techniques like refocusing exercises, cultivating awareness of bias, and slowly redirecting attention can help mitigate its effects. Therapeutic methods often aim to retrain thought processes to prevent undue influence of biased perceptions.
Critiques
Some argue that attentional bias is not inherently negative, as it may serve evolutionary purposes by quickly identifying threats or opportunities. Additionally, criticisms arise around the difficulties in objectively measuring and studying attentional bias since it can manifest differently across contexts and individuals.
Fields of Impact
Also known as
Relevant Research
Attentional bias in emotional disorders.
MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. (1986)
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Attentional biases and the role of automaticity in reading research.
Innis, N. K., & Hulstijn, W. (1995)
Brain and Language
Case Studies
Real-world examples showing how Attentional bias manifests in practice
Context
During a six-month regional COVID surge, a busy emergency department (ED) saw volumes double and clinicians were repeatedly exposed to patients with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Triage protocols and media attention amplified the team's preoccupation with COVID as the default diagnosis.
Situation
Over a 6-month period, dozens of patients presented to the ED with respiratory symptoms. Because COVID testing, isolation procedures, and cohorting consumed clinical attention and workflow, alternative causes were less actively considered during initial assessment.
The Bias in Action
Physicians and triage nurses gave disproportionate attention to features they associated with COVID (fever, cough, oxygen desaturation) and treated those as confirming evidence, while discounting atypical signs and risk factors for other conditions (e.g., unilateral leg swelling, history of atrial fibrillation). Diagnostic imaging (CT pulmonary angiogram, BNP, cardiac enzymes) and specialty consults were ordered less frequently at first, and confirmation searches focused on COVID PCR results rather than broader differential diagnoses. Recurrent thoughts about infection control and patient cohorting reinforced the team's tunnel vision, causing them to miss or delay consideration of pulmonary embolism, heart failure exacerbations, and bacterial sepsis.
Outcome
As a result, a nontrivial number of patients experienced delayed diagnosis and escalation of care. Several who initially received COVID-focused management later required ICU transfer after the correct diagnosis was established. The ED's throughput slowed because mis-triaged patients needed additional workups and transfers once their conditions deteriorated.