Apophenia is the reason the 'universe' is sending you signs

Imagine how confusing and overwhelming the world would be if our brains weren’t really good at connecting the dots. Finding patterns is how we sort through information, learn, and understand cause and effect, Dr. Sharot says. For example, making a connection between storm clouds and impending rain tells us we should grab an umbrella before we head out the door. When a baby is learning to talk, they learn the word ball by connecting the sound “ball” and the image of a ball, Dr. Sharot explains. You couldn’t learn to do algebra or play piano if you couldn’t detect patterns.

The only problem is, being on high alert for possible patterns and connections means we inevitably sometimes see them when they’re not there, Dr. Sharot says. As psychologist Rob Brotherton puts it in his book Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories: “A brain biased toward seeing meaning rather than randomness is one of our greatest assets. The price we pay is occasionally connecting dots that don’t really belong together.”

You can think about apophenia as a personality trait that occurs on a spectrum, Dr. DeYoung says. On one end, some people will frequently miss connections and patterns that are really there; on the other end, some will frequently see connections and patterns where none exist. We’re not totally sure why some of us are more apophenia-prone than others, though experts have theories. One that came out of Dr. Rominger’s research: The brains of people who experience strong apophenia actually take in more sensory information from the world, leading them to observe and process more and ultimately pick up on things — like, say, numbers or stray feathers — that others don’t.

Seeing signs from the universe can actually have a positive effect on your mental and emotional health

Apophenia has its upsides. “The benefit is that you notice more things,” Dr. DeYoung says. “You get more enjoyment out of the sensory world. You are more likely to come up with new things, to see things, or think of things that other people haven’t.” Apophenia is indeed linked with creativity, Dr. DeYoung says. In fact, several studies led by Dr. Rominger found that people who report experiencing more meaningful coincidences also report more creative activities in their daily lives and more creative achievements.

There may even be some psychological or emotional benefits to experiencing apophenia, Dr. Rominger says. In fact, one 2023 study found that being aware of and finding meaning in synchronicities is linked to greater optimism, sense of meaning and life satisfaction. That rings true for Ficklin, who says she gets a sense of comfort and encouragement every time she sees one of her signs.

For Reid Cox, a 32-year-old actor, getting messages from the universe was a huge source of support during a difficult chapter in her life. Back in 2020, Cox was struggling to get work and feeling isolated amid the pandemic. “It was so easy to have a doom-and-gloom mindset,” Cox says. After seeing a clip of Gabby Bernstein (a best-selling author who writes about manifestation) talking about asking for signs from the universe, “I woke up and I was like, Okay, just send me a sign,” Cox recalls. She started seeing the number 444 everywhere — on receipts, license plates, clocks. Cox took it to mean that she was on the right path. “Every time I saw that number, I could just feel my nervous system relax.”