11:11 and the Repeating Number Phenomena

Why are people apparently and frequently noticing repeating numbers, such 11:11 or 2:22, on digital displays? Consider the following theories.

The Pattern Recognition Theory: Pattern recognition is a natural function of the human brain and something most people do automatically. Reading digital displays is somewhat automatic as well.

The argument for pattern recognition and random chance maintains that people experiencing the repeating number phenomena look at digital displays repeatedly and mostly unconsciously throughout their day until they observe a repeating number sequence. The sequence makes an impression on the individual's conscious while the majority of patternless events do not. According to this theory, we believe that we are seeing a repeating number every time we time we look at the clock when when we really are only seeing it occasionally.

While I suspect there is some truth in this idea, I don't think it addresses the phenomena in its entirety. There are, after all, 1,440 minutes in a 24 hour day and while we are not awake or in proximity to digital devices for all of these 24 hours, it is probably not unusual for most of us to be within reading range of a digital display for half of them.

How likely is it that a person will note the single occurrence of 11:11 out of the possible 720 remaining number combinations in a specified 12 hour period (morning, afternoon and evening)? That depends on how many times he or she checks the clock, of course, but if we consider random as a 50 / 50 chance occurrence, observing the 11:11 event is only random if the clock is checked in excess of 360 times per 12 hour day or 30 times per hour. And while it is not impossible to check the clock every 2 minutes it is not ordinary behavior either.

So if the number do not add up to a truly random phenomena in the majority of 11:11 reports, just what are we dealing with?

The Time-Interval Training Theory: Could people be training their minds, albeit subconsciously, to note repeating numbers? I think in some instances it is certainly possible. Some people find themselves noting a specific point on the clock on a daily basis without ascribing any special meaning to this accomplishment. These are the people who check the workplace clock at a particular time in the afternoon every day or to wake up at 7 am on a Saturday even though they have not set their alarm. In these situations, it seems that they have established their own independent body clock - training themselves to trigger an awareness of time at regularly reoccurring intervals.

The time-interval training theory however is only applicable to people who have this skill and not everyone does. Additionally, time-interval training mostly seems to work when a person notes a specific time on daily basis and many people who note repeating numbers do so frequently as opposed to daily.

The Hype Theory: Does the fact that many people are noting the not particularly random occurrence of repeating numbers make it more or less credible? I would lean towards more but this is only my opinion and an argument can be made in either direction. Still from where I sit, the repeating number phenomena does seem to be a real phenomena being at the very least telepathic (in the way of the Global Consciousness Project). But is it, as so many are implying, truly synchonistic?

The Case for Synchronicity: The issue with the synchronicity, is that synchronicity is by definition not only a pairing of events (e.g. looking at the clock / observing a repeating number sequence) that are neither causal or random but a pairing of meaningful events. In other words, for something to be a true synchronicity, it must contain a message.

Does 11:11 convey any meaningful message? I'm not sure. But many people believe it does!