spanningsbias
Spanningsbias is a term used in psycholinguistics and cognitive science to describe a phenomenon where listeners or readers are more likely to interpret ambiguous stimuli in a way that maintains a consistent interpretation of the surrounding context. It suggests that our brains actively work to avoid cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort experienced when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. When faced with ambiguity, the mind leans towards an interpretation that aligns with what it already believes or expects to be true, thereby reducing potential conflict.
This bias can manifest in various ways, particularly in language processing. For instance, in a sentence with