self-select

verb

self-se·​lect ˌself-sə-ˈlekt 

self-selected; self-selecting; self-selects

1

transitive : to select (something) by or for oneself

People tend to self-select the environments that fit their needs.

—Cynthia M. Allen

2

intransitive : to select oneself as opposed to being selected

especially : to opt in or out of something (such as a group, activity, or category) in accordance with one's personality, interests, etc.

As always, remember that our Twitter polls are unscientific, because respondents self-select …

—Eric C. Evarts

We self-select into partisan echo chambers, staying far away from dissenting voices on social media and cable news.

—Brian Klaas

… a compensation structure that rewards profitable growth and encourages low performers to self-select out of the organization.

—Patrick Burke

3

intransitive : to attract or involve individuals who tend to have a particular characteristic

… analysis of social-media responses self-selects for people who actually want to share their thoughts.

—Adrian Lee

self-selected

ˌself-sə-ˈlek-təd 

adjective

a self-selected name

an unrepresentative, self-selected sampling

self-selection

ˌself-sə-ˈlek-shən 

noun

plural self-selections

student self-selection of reading materials

self-selection of survey respondents

The method helped researchers rule out self-selection bias, or the possibility that people who seek out dental care are different—perhaps healthier in general—than those who don't.

—Sarah Yang

Examples of self-select in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The medium admits self-portraiture with obvious ease (just step in front of the camera), but few filmmakers can withstand its penetrating gaze, which is surely why the practice self-selects toward the masters of the art. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024

The big picture: Like most partisan media, the pro-Trump echo chamber self-selects news, polls and predictions that point to a decisive victory for the former president on Nov. 5. —Zachary Basu, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024

This may reflect a self-selecting sample where older folks are more willing to report such a crime. —Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

Now, there are internet polls out there that are self-selected and Trump did prevail in some of those, but those are really meaningless. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024

Crowds are also self-selected, which is to say, not necessarily reflective of broader sentiments. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024

In other words, moms self-select into occupations that are less lucrative but have other advantages, such as requiring fewer hours or offering remote flexibility. —Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 9 July 2024

Finally, anecdotal evidence suggests that potential nonwhite applicants sometimes self-select out of the process. —Matthew Connelly, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2023

The parade draws a self-selecting audience every year. —Anatoly Kurmanaev Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 9 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1