Apophenia

Pronunciation: /ˌæpəˈfiniə/

Definitions of apophenia

noun the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things

Example Sentences

A1 Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things.

A2 Some people may experience apophenia when they see shapes in clouds or patterns in random noise.

B1 Apophenia can lead to superstitions or beliefs in conspiracy theories.

B2 Individuals with a high level of apophenia may find it difficult to distinguish between coincidence and causation.

C1 Psychologists study apophenia to understand how the brain processes information and creates patterns.

C2 Researchers are investigating the role of apophenia in creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Examples of apophenia in a Sentence

formal Apophenia is the tendency to perceive connections and meaningful patterns between unrelated things.

informal Some people have a tendency towards apophenia, always finding meaning in random events.

slang Don't be such a apophenia, not everything has a hidden message.

figurative His apophenia led him to believe that seeing a black cat meant bad luck was imminent.

Grammatical Forms of apophenia

• plural: apophenias
• comparative: more apophenic
• superlative: most apophenic
• present tense: apophenia
• future tense: will apophenia
• perfect tense: has apophenia
• continuous tense: is apophenia
• singular: apophenia
• positive degree: more apophenic
• infinitive: to apophenia
• gerund: apophenizing
• participle: apophenized

Origin and Evolution of apophenia

First Known Use: 1958 year

Language of Origin: German

Story behind the word: The word 'apophenia' originates from the German psychiatrist Klaus Conrad, who coined it in his 1958 work 'Die beginnende Schizophrenie'.

Evolution of the word: Initially used in the context of schizophrenia to describe the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things, the term has since been adopted in broader contexts to refer to the human tendency to seek patterns or connections in random or meaningless data.