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SEM 2 Sensation & Perception > Visual illusions > Flashcards

Visual illusions Flashcards

1
Q

What are visual illusions?

A

When what we see does not correspond to what is physically present in the world

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2
Q

When what we see does not correspond to what is physically present in the world

This is known as…?

A

Visual illusions

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3
Q

What do illusions tell us about normal vision?

A

Illusions of the senses tell us the truth about perception

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4
Q

Illusions of the senses tell us the truth about perception

Who said this?

A

Purkinje

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5
Q

What are the 4 classifications of visual illusions?

A

1) Distortions
2) Ambiguous figures
3) Paradoxical figures
4) Fictions

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6
Q

Who proposed the 4 classifications of visual illusions?

A

Gregory

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7
Q

Give 3 examples of distortions.

A
  • Muller-Lyer experiment
  • Ponzo
  • Poggendorff
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8
Q

Give 2 examples of ambiguous figures

A
  • Necker cube
  • Rubin vase
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9
Q

Give an example of paradoxical figures

A

Penrose impossible objects

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10
Q

Give an example of fictions

A

Kanizsa triangle

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11
Q

Describe the muller-lyer distortion illusion?

A
  • Red and Blue straight lines of equal length
  • Blue line with arrow head pointing downwards appears longer than red line with arrow pointing upwards
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12
Q

Why does the muller-lyer illusion occur?

A

Gregory (1966) explained Muller-Lyer illusion on basis of misapplied size constancy.

Fins on blue line make this look like part of the inside corner of a room.

Fins on red line make this look like part of the outside corner of a room.

Inside corner tend to look further away thus size- distance scaling causes this line to look longer.

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13
Q

Illusions have often been considered to be a…… phenomenon.

A

Negative

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14
Q

lllusion, itself, from Latin root word, “illudere” which means …….. (Coren, 1978).

A

“To mock”

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15
Q

What is perception?

A

Perception is the brain’s search for the best interpretation of the data that is being presented.

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16
Q

The brain’s search for the best interpretation of the data that is being presented.

This is known as…?

A

Perception

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17
Q

True or False?

Sometimes the “perceptual hypothesis” is incorrect and an illusion results (Gregory, 1997).

A

True

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18
Q

“The study of what are called illusions of the senses is a very prominent part of the senses; for just those cases which are not in accordance with reality are particularly instructive for the discovering the laws of those means and processes by which normal perception originates”

Who said this?

A

Helmholtz

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19
Q

Optical illusions mock our trust in our senses

What does this suggest?

A

Suggest that the eye is not a passive camera; perception is an active process that takes place in the brain.

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20
Q

We see lines with inward-facing arrows as outside corners therefore they appear….?

a. Closer
b. Further

A

a. Closer

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21
Q

We see lines with outward-facing arrows as inside corners therefore they appear….?

a. Closer
b. Further

A

b. Further

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22
Q

We see lines with outward-facing arrows as inside corners therefore they appear further away.

The brain perceives this as…?

a. Smaller
b. Larger

A

b. Larger

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23
Q

Is the muller-lyer distortion illusion cross-cultural?

A

No

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24
Q

Who is much less prone to the muller-lyer distortion illusion?

A

People who live in a natural environment i.e. without man-made rectangular building

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25
Q

The illusion of size is known as…?

A

Ponzo illusion

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26
Q

Which distortion is this?

See inward-facing arrows as outside corners looming towards us therefore closer. Outward arrows look further away but
because they are the same size brain thinks it is larger.

A

Muller-Lyer

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27
Q

Which distortion is this?

Two lines converge towards the ‘vanishing’ point – giving the impression that the line nearer the vanishing point is further away – thus appears larger

A

Ponzo illusion

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28
Q

Describe the Ponzo illusion

A
  • Two lines converge towards the ‘vanishing’ point
  • It gives the impression that the line nearer the vanishing point is further away
  • Thus it appears larger
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29
Q

Why does the Ponzo illusion occur?

A

The effect of the Ponzo illusion is often attributed to linear perspective

The upper line looks longer because we interpret the converging sides as parallel lines receding into the distance

In this context, we interpret the upper line as though it were farther away, so we see it as longer.

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30
Q

Which distortion is this?

The setup for this illusion is a straight line that passes behind a rectangle.

Actual angle dilation: Our brains make small angles appear larger than they actually are (angle theory).

A

Poggendorff

31
Q

Describe the Poggendorff distortion illusion

A

The setup for this illusion is a straight line that passes behind a rectangle.

Actual angle dilation: Our brains make small angles appear larger than they actually are (angle theory).

When the angle between the line and the box increases, the misperception of lining up the two lines decreases.

32
Q

In the Poggendorff distortion illusion, when the angle between the line and the box increases, the misperception of lining up the two lines ….?

A

Decreases

33
Q

Which distortion illusion is this?

The straight lines in the illusion appear to bow outwards in the centre. You may interpret the radiating lines in terms of depth, seeing the central spot as being further away than the edges.

Thus you believe that the heavy black lines must also be further away in the centre.

A

Herring

34
Q

The Herring illusion is also similar to 2 other illusions. What are they?

A
  • Wundt illusion
  • Titchener illusion
35
Q

Describe the Herring distortion illusion

A
  • The straight lines in the illusion appear to bow out in the centre
  • You may interpret the radiating lines in terms of depth, seeing the central spot as being further away than the edges.
  • Thus you believe that the heavy black lines must also be further away in the centre.
36
Q

Why does the Herring distortion illusion occur?

A

Because the heavy black lines are the same thickness at the centre as at the edges but are further away, your brain thinks they must be more widely spaced at the centre.

37
Q

What is the Wundth illusion?

A

Equal but opposite effect to Hering

38
Q

Equal but the opposite effect to Hering

What distortion illusion is this?

A

Wundth illusion

39
Q

What is the Titchner (Ebbinghaus) Illusion?

A

Brain over emphasizes size differences in grouping and separating objects

40
Q

Brain over emphasizes size differences in grouping and separating objects

What distortion illusion is this?

A

Titchner (Ebbinghaus) Illusion

41
Q

What do the distortion illusions of Muller-Lyer, Ponzo, Poggendoff, Wundt and Titchner tell us about perception?

A

Tells us that perception involves complex depth and size calculations that the brain is doing (correctly) all the time

42
Q

The brain experiences an unfair situation of (2D/3D) drawings

A

2D

43
Q

True or False?

There is an “unfair” situation for the brain of 3D drawings which are (or are interpreted as) 2D representations

A

False

There is an “unfair” situation for the brain of 2D drawings which are (or are interpreted as) 3D representations

44
Q

Describe the Necker cube ambiguous illusion

A

The cube appears to flip so that the red dot is sometimes inside, and sometimes outside the cube.

When you look at this 2D drawing, your brain automatically visualises it as a 3-D cube. But this drawing does not give enough information for your visual system to know exactly which face of the cube is at the front.

45
Q

Which ambiguous illusion is this?

The cube appears to flip so that the red dot is sometimes inside, and sometimes outside the cube.

When you look at this 2D drawing, your brain automatically visualises it as a 3-D cube. But this drawing does not give enough information for your visual system to know exactly which face of the cube is at the front.

A

Necker cube

46
Q

Why does the Necker cube ambiguous illusion occur?

A

Your visual system has a hypothesis that the cube is at one orientation, then for some reason suddenly another hypothesis is favoured and the cube flips.

47
Q

Describe the Rubin vase ambiguous illusion

A

When you either see a vase or two faces facing each other because the drawing does not give enough information for your visual system to know exactly whether it is a vase or two faces

48
Q

Which ambiguous illusion is this?

When you either see a vase or two faces facing each other because the drawing does not give enough information for your visual system to know exactly whether it is a vase or two faces

A

Rubin vase

49
Q

What are paradoxical figures?

A

The triangle on your screen is 2D, yet your brain
automatically tries to picture it as a 3D object.

50
Q

Which visual illusion is this?

The triangle on your screen is 2D, yet your brain
automatically tries to picture it as a 3D object.

A

Paradoxical figures

51
Q

How do Paradoxical figure illusions occur?

A
  • Most people’s visual systems make the false assumption that the triangle is in one plane
  • It is not a triangle at all – in fact, one part of the ‘triangle’ actually sticks up into the air.
52
Q

What do paradoxical figure illusions tell us about perception?

A

How our brains automatically try to make us see in 3D

After all, the image on your retina is flat, yet everything you see has depth.

53
Q

Describe the Kanizsa triangle fiction illusion

A

When you see an outline of a triangle between 3 ‘pacman’ circles even though the outline is not physically drawn

54
Q

Which illusion is this?

When you see an outline of a triangle between 3 ‘pacman’ circles even though the outline is not physically drawn

A

Kanizsa triangle

55
Q

The unreal shapes in the Kanizsa triangle illusion are called ………… Schumann (1904)

A

Subjective contours

56
Q

How does the Kanizsa triangle illusion occur?

A
  • Usually, a near object looks brighter than a more distant one of the same colour
  • Your brain interprets the illusory triangles as being closer than the circles
  • This means you see them as being brighter than the things that you think are further away (the background)
57
Q

The Ames room was based on who’s idea in the late 19th century?

A

Helmholtz

58
Q

Describe the Ames room illusion

A

1) Two illusions

2) Firstly the room appears cubic when viewed monocularly from a special point, its true shape is trapezoidal

3) Secondly objects and people appear to grow or shrink as they travel from one corner of the room to the other

4) Causes two people of equal sizes to appear very different.

59
Q

Which illusion is this?

1) Two illusions

2) Firstly the room appears cubic when viewed monocularly from a special point, its true shape is trapezoidal

3) Secondly objects and people appear to grow or shrink as they travel from one corner of the room to the other

4) Causes two people of equal sizes to appear very different.

A

Ames room

60
Q

How does the Ames room illusion occur?

A

1) Individual standing on the left of the room has a much smaller visual angle than the individual on the right

2) We think that we are looking at a normal rectangular room, & our perception is that both individuals are at the same distance away

3) Given this assumption the individual with the larger visual angle appears taller

61
Q

What are 2 unresolved and new visual illusions?

A

1) Moon illusion (size)

2) Ouchi illusion & Peripheral drift illusion (motion)

62
Q

Describe the moon illusion

A

When moon is on the horizon it appears much larger than when it is directly overhead, at its zenith

63
Q

Which illusion is this?

When the moon is on the horizon it appears much larger than when it is directly overhead, at its zenith

A

Moon illusion

64
Q

How does the moon illusion occur, according to Kaufman and Rock (1962)?

A

1) Apparent distance theory

2) We see the sky as a flattened dome. It appears closer over our heads than near the horizon

3) The horizon moon looks larger because it appears further away.

65
Q

What is forced interpretation?

A

Seeing things from only one perspective

66
Q

Seeing things from only one perspective

This is known as…?

A

Forced interpretation

67
Q

Describe the Ouchi illusion

A

The central disk seems to float above the checkered background when moving the eyes around while viewing the figure

68
Q

Which illusion is this?

The central disk seems to float above the checkered background when moving the eyes around while viewing the figure

A

Ouchi illusion

69
Q

How do Ouchi illusions occur?

A

Thought to be caused by eye movements.

1) Our eyes always move slightly even when we are fixated on something

2) Brain cancels out the movement/compensates for the movement

3) In the Ouchi Illusion the pattern is such that the compensation is not necessary/different effect on different orientations, therefore the brain interprets that it must be moving

70
Q

How come we perceive Ouchi illusions in items that are in our peripheral vision and not items in our direct vision?

A

Peripheral drift

1) Even when fixated, our eyes make very small random movements

2) These are compensated for at the fovea, but not at the periphery

3) Normally not a problem but in special situations can cause the perception of movement

71
Q

True or False?

Visual illusions are a phenomenon that points to the inadequacies of our visual and perceptual systems

A

False

Visual illusions are a phenomenon that allows us to become consciously aware of the intricate process that is always going on unconsciously

72
Q

The visual world that we perceive is always being created by ……. and interpretations out of the sensory data it is receiving.

A

An active mind continuously searching for patterns

73
Q

Why does the Ponzo illusion not work if the lines converge at the bottom rather than at the top?

A

When the lines converge at the bottom of the picture there is little sense to the perspective.

Apparent depth is diminished and the two lines appear essentially the same length.

SEM 2 Sensation & Perception (12 decks)

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