Salience refers to the importance or significance of something. It means that something stands out, catches our attention, or is considered prominent or relevant in a particular situation. Full definition
[10:41 p.m. Update A Washington Post story on new Gallup poll results pretty clearly shows the lack of salience of global warming for voters.] (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
I hadn't either until I came across a recent research report titled «Solving the annuity puzzle: The role of mortality salience in retirement savings decumulation decisions.» (realdealretirement.com)
It is not known to what extent neural and endocrine changes contribute to the increased salience of peer social status during adolescence, but it is likely that changes such as remodeling of the fronto - striatal dopaminergic systems and a puberty - linked rise in sex hormones could contribute to an increase in motivations to obtain and defend social status among peers (Nelson et al., 2005; Blakemore, 2008; Steinberg, 2008; Crone and Dahl, 2012). (academic.oup.com)