ABSTRACT
A coincidence occurs when two or more events are connected in the mind of the observer. Such events are usually noticed when they seem odd, surprising or out of the ordinary. Coincidences typically concern simultaneous events but very improbable events are sometimes also considered as surprising coincidences if somewhat more distant in time. The term synchronicity is applied when a surprising concurrence of events is considered meaningful to the observer. Kammerer drew attention to coincidences that get attention because of their apparent improbability. With Pauli, Jung formulated the idea of an acausal connecting principle which would allow for meaningful coincidences that could not be explained by chance, so-called synchronicities. Humans are known to be poor judges of probability and hence likely to attribute significance to events that do not warrant it. Psychologists also draw attention to cognitive weaknesses of perception and memory that incline them to question the accuracy of coincidence accounts.
