Shiny object syndrome explained

Shiny object syndrome is the situation where people focus undue attention on an idea that is new and trendy, yet drop it in its entirety as soon as something new can take its place.

Usage

Shiny object syndrome (SOS) is a pop-cultural, psychological concept where people focus on a new and fashionable idea, regardless of how valuable or helpful it may ultimately be.^{[1] [2]} While at the moment it seems to be something worth focusing one's attention upon, it is ultimately a distraction,^[3] either a personal distraction or something that is done intentionally to distract others.^[4] People who face a fear of missing out are especially susceptible, as the distraction of shiny objects in themselves clouds judgment and focus.^[5]

The term shiny object syndrome is often used when people mistake something small and focused and fixate on it to the extent that they lose the big picture.^[6] This is used within management literature, popular psychological literature, and across the social and computer sciences.^{[7] [8]}

See also

• Appeal to novelty

Notes and References

1. Pearson. Teresa. 2015. Why Does It Take So Long for New Ideas to Catch On?. AADE in Practice. en. 3. 3. 8–10. 10.1177/2325160315580963. 177223937. 2325-1603.
2. Church. Allan H.. Del Giudice. Matthew. Margulies. Alyson. 2017-08-07. All that glitters is not gold: Maximizing the impact of executive assessment and development efforts. Leadership & Organization Development Journal. en. 38. 6. 765–779. 10.1108/LODJ-05-2016-0127. 0143-7739.
3. Web site: 2017-02-09. Do You Have 'Shiny Object' Syndrome? What It Is and How to Beat It. 2021-02-24. Entrepreneur. en.
4. News: Leibovich. Mark. 2015-09-01. The Politics of Distraction (Published 2015). en-US. The New York Times. 2021-02-24. 0362-4331.
5. Web site: Wozniak. Tom. Council Post: Three Tips For Avoiding 'Shiny Object Syndrome' In Marketing. 2021-02-24. Forbes. en.
6. Web site: Finkel. David. 2020-01-16. Entrepreneurs May Be Particularly Susceptible to Shiny Object Syndrome. Here's How to Cure It.. 2021-02-24. Inc.com. en.
7. Book: Roberts, James A.. Shiny objects : why we spend money we don't have in search of happiness we can't buy. 2011. HarperOne. 978-0-06-209360-8. New York. 526084214.
8. Harrison. Henry. 2019-03-01. Headline hype disguises security failings. Computer Fraud & Security. en. 2019. 3. 6–8. 10.1016/S1361-3723(19)30027-2. 182600699 . 1361-3723.