Definition (1):
Selective Avoidance is the tendency to direct attention away from information that challenges existing attitudes; increases resistance to persuasion.
Definition (2):
Selective Avoidance is screening out contradictory or conflicting information so that resistance to persuasion is increased. People channel surf, tune out or turn off the television when anything against their view or attitude is going on. Similarly, when they are interested, they watch the news, drama, or program with full attention which is the exact opposite of the mentioned topic.
Definition (3):
Selective Avoidance is the motivated ignorance or avoidance of information or messages conflicting with an individual’s beliefs. It is more strongly negatively related to openness to experience. It is also negatively related to empathy. It is increased in the moral threat situations which confirms the concept that when the moral integrity of people is threatened, they become more watchful to signs of social rejection.
Silencing and this type of avoidance are specifically associated because both can be perceived as the use of the same attitude within media contexts, interpersonal contexts, in the case of silencing and the case of avoidance.