Selective Perception
The tendency to filter incoming information so that what aligns with existing beliefs is noticed and remembered, while what contradicts them is overlooked or quickly forgotten.
Origin
Psychologists Albert Hastorf and Hadley Cantril produced a landmark demonstration in 1954 with "They Saw a Game," published in the Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. After a notoriously rough 1951 Dartmouth–Princeton football game, students from each school watched the same film yet counted vastly different numbers of penalties by the opposing team — Princeton students saw Dartmouth commit twice as many fouls as Dartmouth students did.
Everyday Use
Two fans watch the same football game and each swears the referee was biased against their team. You scroll past news that challenges your views and linger on stories that confirm them. Selective perception is the invisible editor that curates reality to match what you already believe.