AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -In psychology, illusory correlation is the phenomenon of perceiving a relationship between variables (typically people, events, or behaviors) even when no such relationship exists. A false association may be formed because rare or novel occurrences are more salient and therefore tend to capture one’s attention.

Detailed explanation-2: -Illusory correlation occurs when two different variables occur at the same time and an unproven connection is made based on little evidence. An example of this would occur if an individual has a bad experience with a lawyer and they immediately assume all lawyers are bad people.

Detailed explanation-3: -An illusory correlation is a judgment by a perceiver that two variables are associated with each other, even though they were not associated in the information on which the judgment was based (Chapman, 1967).

Detailed explanation-4: -While the phenomenon itself is not new, the term “illusory correlation” was first coined by US psychologists Loren J. Chapman and Jean Chapman in 1967. They conducted various experiments in which subjects were told to draw a person according to their own diagnostic category.

Detailed explanation-5: -Illusory correlation occurs when we believe that two unrelated variables have a relationship between each other. Distinctive variables are more likely to result in illusory correlation. For example, the colour of an individuals hair or skin.