Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon
The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon is the illusion that something you just learned about has suddenly started appearing everywhere — when in fact only your noticing of it changed.
Full definition of Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon →:: COMPARE ::
Frequency illusionvsRecency illusion
The short answer
Zwicky coined both, and they're easy to confuse. Frequency illusion is thinking a thing is suddenly everywhere. Recency illusion is thinking a thing is brand new — assuming a usage you only just noticed must have been invented last year, when it may be centuries old.
Side by side
| Aspect | Frequency illusion | Recency illusion |
|---|---|---|
| You think | It's everywhere | It's new |
| Actually | You started noticing | You started noticing |
| Common in | Cars, words, names | Language peeves |
| Named by | Zwicky | Zwicky |
What each one means
Recency illusion
The contrast above sets out how Recency illusion differs from Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon on the points that actually matter.