A Toyota 4Runner, and now I’m seeing 4Runners all over the road. I notice them everywhere.
Is there a name for this phenomenon? Something along the lines of confirmation bias, or some thing like that?
Yeah I think it’s a form of conformation bias. 2 months ago I bought an 05 Grand Prix and now I see them EVERYwhere too. I’ve always been a Pontiac guy so I’d noticed them often before, but I can now tell every time from the headlight/taillight pattern etc for the 04+ generation of Grand Prix.
The sensation you get from seeing newer and nicer next year model of your less-than-a-year-old car is what phenomenon?
Also, it probably isn’t a confirmation bias when I feel better seeing other motorists getting ticketed after getting one myself? What phenomenon is that…?
(Apologies if I’m thread drifting)
You also get better at quickly recognizing the subtleties of your car. Like how people who go to car shows can tell you instantly that this is the 1969 Mustand, because the taillights weren’t the same shade of red in 1968, or whatever. So you notice your car quicker just by virtue of being better acquainted with it.
Having driven a Honda accord and a Honda Civic for my last two cars, I definitely notice those two models a lot when I’m out and about. I’m not really a car person, and I can rarely identify other cars, but I can pick an Accord or Civic out pretty easily, whether it’s an older one or newer one.
I’ve wondered if there isn’t a name for this…conformation bias isn’t quite right, because it’s more of an emotional observation.
Confirmation bias is close but surely there’s a term that’s a better fir?
No, it has nothing to do with the color… in '69 the tail lights were extended out a couple of inches where in '68 they were much more flush with the back of the car. But the real obvious difference is from the side view where the '68 had a “scoop” along the side with a false vent just before the rear wheels.
Wait… what… you weren’t really trying to figure out the difference? You were making fun of us car nerds?
Never mind.
Ooh, ooh…I know this one!
Though the definition states it’s ‘pleasure derived from the misfortune of others’, I’ve noticed that there is usually some type of emotional connection, either in that it’s felt that it was deserved <rich cats failing on Wall Street> or ‘Hah, there, I’m not the ONLY one getting a ticket!’.
Just to show how knowledgeable I am, I almost typed a year where the Mustang didn’t exist, before deciding it might be prudent to double check that. And my keen eye for detail still didn’t notice the damn typo in the name of the car. :rolleyes:
D’oh… I didn’t even notice that. I’m pretty sure the Mustand didn’t exist for either of those years. (there are several Mustangs from the late 70’s early 80’s I’d like to pretend didn’t exist)