Selectively

The adverb 'selectively' describes an action or process that involves choosing or favoring certain things, people, or information over others. This is often done based on specific criteria, preferences, or goals, resulting in a biased or incomplete outcome. It implies a conscious decision to include some elements while excluding others. When acting selectively, one carefully considers the available options, choosing only those that align with their pre-determined standards. This approach can be efficient in some contexts, allowing for a targeted approach, but it can also introduce biases or overlook important information if the selection criteria are flawed or too narrow. The resulting focus can lead to heightened efficiency but also potentially create blindspots.

Selectively meaning with examples

• The company's marketing team chose to advertise their products selectively, focusing on demographics most likely to purchase them, which produced a higher conversion rate. This targeted approach, while effective in the short term, might have missed opportunities within other demographics.
• News outlets selectively reported on different parts of the legislation, highlighting certain aspects while downplaying others based on their ideological alignment. This bias made it difficult for the public to get a balanced view of the bill.
• A professor selectively assigned readings for the course, choosing materials that supported her research interests, and neglected others, causing some students to miss critical counterarguments or broader perspectives of the topic. This skewed the curriculum.
• During the hiring process, the HR department selectively reviewed applications, filtering out candidates who didn't meet specific criteria. This could eliminate candidates who were outside their standards but possessed valuable skills.
• The algorithm selectively provided search results, prioritizing websites with high traffic and popularity, potentially limiting the user's exposure to a diverse range of credible sources. This filtering introduced inherent biases into the search results.