Attentional bias refers to the tendency for our attention to be drawn more strongly to certain types of information—often emotional or threatening—than to neutral details.
For example, someone with social anxiety may focus on a frown in the audience and ignore supportive smiles, reinforcing their fear of being judged. Similarly, a person trying to quit smoking might be more likely to notice cigarette ads or people smoking in public.
Attentional biases shape how we perceive reality, often filtering information in ways that confirm existing fears or beliefs. They play a major role in anxiety, phobias, and addiction. Therapies such as mindfulness or cognitive-behavioural approaches aim to retrain attention, helping people focus more on balanced information rather than only the negative or fear-inducing.