Frequency Basis

Have you ever considered the fact that your thoughts have the power to positively enhance or completely destroy your life?  Joyce Meyer refers to this as the “Battlefield of the Mind.”  Seeing the same pattern of repeated negative thinking is the mental battle many of us face.  We struggle to recognize that we have built patterns or tapes that play in our brains.  These tapes can produce negative and harmful ways of thinking.  In Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer explains, “Our past may explain why we’re suffering, but we must not use it as an excuse to stay in bondage.”

Psychology research identified a process in our thinking called frequency bias, or the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.  The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon or frequency bias is a cognitive process referring to the tendency to notice something more often after seeing it for the first time, creating the belief that it has an increased frequency of occurrence.

Marketing is based on this concept.  Ads introduce a product to familiarize consumers with the product.  Frequency bias holds that once consumers see the product, they start paying more attention to it.  Repeatedly viewing the product on social media, in magazines, on TV, and hearing about it on the radio leads them to believe that the product is more commonly used than it may actually be used.  This phenomenon states marketing effort causes the consumer to believe the hype and buy the product. 

Here is another example of frequency basis.  Your friend wears a new outfit and tells you about a brand of clothing.  You suddenly see that brand popping up all around you, leading you to think the style is the latest new trend.  Could there really be an increase in that unique style?  Or are you just more aware of it now?

With frequency bias, it’s not that there is more of that style of clothing, but simply that you have a higher awareness of them.  Awareness changes everything.  Selective attention is when we bring something to our attention or the forefront of our thinking process.  We begin to make note of that specific thing.  Our brain tunes into it!

So, what are your thought patterns?  In your marriage, my spouse is always a jerk.  Frequency bias would say that you will now only notice when your spouse is a jerk.  Do you start your day saying, I hate my job, and it will be an awful day?  If so, you will only see the problems at work.  What about your thoughts about your kids?  Do you tell yourself they always fight, lie, or somehow fail?  If this is what you are telling yourself, then this is what you will see.

Have you ever known a strikingly beautiful person who only saw their flaws?  The person would look in a mirror and only notice the one gray hair, the one wrinkle, or comment on a feature they saw as imperfect.  The person’s description of the image he or she sees may be confusing to you, but it fits within his or her thought patterns. 

We can change our thought patterns.  Yes, you have the power to control and choose which thoughts you allow to play in your brain.  You can stop ruminating on harmful thoughts.  Most of us tend to let our thoughts go to the negative.  We think only about our failures.  Our thoughts tell us if only we had done something differently, life would be perfect.  Which is why the Bible advises us to daily practice until it is a habit to listen only to whatever is good, pure, true, and lovely. 

You don’t have to default to your usual harmful thought patterns.  The first step in changing the pattern is to stop and listen to our mental tapes.  Listening to what we are thinking allows us to understand and take note of the good and the destructive patterns.  We have to recognize our thoughts to be able to replace them.  Moreover, when we do that, it will begin to change everything.

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions; our phone number is 434-808-2637.