Frequency illusion (Baader-Meinhof phenomenon)

Biological Parallel

After encountering a rare orchid, botanists 'suddenly' see it everywhere—not because it became common but because attention is now primed. Foraging animals exhibit the same: once a squirrel discovers a new food source (acorns vs hazelnuts), it notices that food type disproportionately. The mechanism: selective attention creates artificial frequency increase. The environment didn't change; the perceptual filter did. Salience is constructed, not discovered.