PhenomenonAttention & information · Cognitive Bias · Entry 120
Recency Illusion – when you think something is new just because you recently noticed it
Have you recently noticed a word, trend, or idea and assumed it’s brand new? That’s Recency Illusion – the tendency to believe something is new just because you’ve only recently become aware of it, even if it has existed for decades or centuries.
Where it can show up
- Language & words – thinking a slang term is brand new, when in reality, it has been used for decades.
- Cultural trends – assuming a concept is recent just because people around you started talking about it.
- Science & technology – believing an idea is revolutionary, when it’s actually based on older theories and discoveries.
A practical countermeasure
- Check the history of the phenomenon – before assuming something is new, research when it actually emerged.
- Don’t confuse personal discovery with actual innovation – just because you noticed it now doesn’t mean it’s recent.
- Be skeptical of media ‘new trends’ – many things are marketed as ‘new’ even when they’ve been around for years.