What psychological concept explains why someone might believe in coincidences as significant events?

The psychological concept of illusory correlations explains why someone might believe in coincidences as significant events. This phenomenon occurs when individuals perceive a relationship between two unrelated events due to a cognitive bias. Often, people remember instances that reinforce their beliefs while neglecting contrary evidence, leading them to see patterns that don’t actually exist.

For example, if a person experiences a series of coincidences, they may start to believe that there is a meaningful connection between them, such as thinking that seeing the same number repeatedly is a spiritual sign. This distorted perception creates the illusion that these coincidences are more significant than they truly are, thereby reinforcing the belief in superstitions or fate.

Attribution theory deals with how we interpret and understand the causes of behaviors, which does not specifically address the misinterpretation of coincidences. Disconfirmation bias refers to the tendency to reject evidence that contradicts one’s beliefs, but it does not directly explain the perception of significance in coincidences. Lastly, a self-fulfilling prophecy involves a prediction that causes itself to become true due to the behavior it generates, rather than misinterpreting coincidences as significant.