Spotlight Effect
The spotlight effect is overestimating how much other people notice — and later remember — your appearance and your behaviour.
Full definition of Spotlight Effect →:: COMPARE ::
Spotlight effectvsFalse consensus
The short answer
Both are the same egocentric projection pointed at different targets. The spotlight overestimates how much others attend to you; false consensus overestimates how much they agree with you. Each starts by anchoring on your own vivid experience and under-adjusting for the fact that nobody else is having it.
Side by side
| Aspect | Spotlight effect | False consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Overestimates | Attention | Agreement |
| Anchor | Your self-focus | Your opinion |
| Feels like | Being watched | Being normal |
| Same root | Egocentrism | Egocentrism |
What each one means
False consensus
The contrast above sets out how False consensus differs from Spotlight Effect on the points that actually matter.