selective responding

[/sɪˈlɛktɪv rɪˈspɑndɪŋ/]
noun
resposta seletiva
1. The act of responding to only certain stimuli or questions while ignoring others, often based on preference, relevance, or strategic choice
The witness engaged in selective responding, answering only the questions that favored his defense.
A testemunha utilizou resposta seletiva, respondendo apenas às perguntas que favoreciam sua defesa.
2. In behavioral psychology, the phenomenon where an organism responds differently to different stimuli based on learned discrimination
The rat demonstrated selective responding by pressing the lever only when the light was red.
O rato demonstrou resposta seletiva pressionando a alavanca apenas quando a luz era vermelha.
3. In communication, the tendency to focus attention on and respond to information that aligns with one's beliefs or interests
Social media algorithms encourage selective responding by showing users content similar to what they've already engaged with.
Os algoritmos de redes sociais incentivam a resposta seletiva mostrando aos usuários conteúdo semelhante ao que já interagiram.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, selective responding is commonly discussed in educational psychology, behavioral science, and workplace communication training. In Brazil, the term is frequently used in psychology curricula and organizational behavior studies. In the USA, it's particularly relevant in discussions about media literacy, political discourse, and cognitive biases. The concept is increasingly referenced in debates about social media algorithms and information consumption patterns.
NYC Slang
cherry-picking responses
Synonyms / Sinônimos
selective attentiondiscriminative respondingpartial respondingfiltered responsebiased responding
Antonyms / Antônimos
indiscriminate respondinguniversal respondingnon-selective responsecomprehensive response

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
resposta seletiva
Standard term used in psychology and behavioral sciences
Brazil - Rio de Janeiro
resposta seletiva
Common usage; no significant regional variation
Brazil - São Paulo
resposta seletiva
Preferred in academic and scientific contexts
Portugal
resposta seletiva / respondência seletiva
Both terms used; respondência seletiva more common in older psychological literature

Related Words

stimulus discriminationresponse biasattention filterbehavioral operantconditioned responseconfirmation bias

Related Idioms & Phrases

hear only what you want to hear
see what you want to see
selective memory
picking and choosing
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