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Your expectations shape what you perceive

Perception is not a passive recording of reality; the brain combines sensory input with expectations.

The idea

Predictive-processing theories propose that the brain forms predictions and compares them with incoming information. Context therefore changes what we notice and how quickly we interpret it.

An example

A hard-to-read word becomes obvious when it appears inside a familiar sentence because the surrounding meaning narrows the possibilities.

Put it into practice

When your first interpretation feels certain, ask what expectation may have helped create it.