Lastly, tactile illusions, ones which involve touch, seem to depend on the visual cortex as well as the parietal lobe, which is responsible for the sensation of touch. Olfactory (or smell illusions) are less common and mainly consist of the presence of a smell which does not exist because the mind created it in the absence of its source (such as when daydreaming or imagining). This effect is known as a “phantom word” and was discovered by Diane Deutsch. The most popular example of an auditory illusion is the “yannie/laurel” illusion mentioned earlier in which two sounds are played over each other simultaneously creating the illusion of the presence of another word. This shows that our sense of taste can be compromised by illusions as well.Īuditory illusions are also possible and even common to a degree. The wine-tasters were tricked into tasting fruity and vibrant flavors in red-colored wine in comparison to the normal wine, even though they were one and the same. In one test, one of the wines was colored red with food dye. According to Lehrer (2007), in a study conducted by Frederic Brochet in 2001, two tests were performed on 57 professional wine-tasters where they were presented with the same wine. Optical illusions may be the most well-known of the illusions, however, illusions are present in hearing, taste, touch, and smell as well. This means that yes, we can actually experience illusions in all of our senses, not just optical illusions. If that wasn’t complex enough, there are other processes that the brain goes through constantly in order to perceive information from all of our other senses. The process outlined above is a condensed version of the incredibly intricate process of perception our brains are constantly undergoing. The brain accomplishes this task by sending visual data from the visual cortex to other parts of the brain along two separate pathways (the dorsal and the ventral pathway) to further analyze the specific set of characteristics being seen, including the WHAT, WHERE, and HOW of the object (Gregory, 1997). Once this information has been received, it must then be perceived. Specialized cells known as ganglion cells then convert the sensory input (photons) into an electrical signal which can travel along the optic nerve until it finally reaches the visual cortex of the brain. As a result of this overflow of information, the brain needs to make adjustments and shortcuts to gather the most important and relevant information in as little time as possible: thus, enter illusions.įor example, in terms of optical illusions, when we first see an object, the eyes receive sensory information in the form of photons as light passes through the retina of the eye. It receives 11 billion bits of sensory information from all of the senses to the brain when it can only process, at most, 50 bits per second (Gregory, 1997). However, this already proves to be a difficult task given the variety of illusions that can take place, leading to a diverse array of stimulatory triggers for the brain to then begin perceiving. To understand illusions as best as we can, we must first understand how we can perceive them in the first place. Why do we see specific images and objects a certain way under certain conditions and not others? What makes one individual see an illusion differently than another individual? Are there faults in our sensory inputs, or instead are there faults in our brain’s perception and understanding of those senses? All of these mysteries leave people worldwide confused, yet we all seem to adore being tricked in this way. Everybody knows they exist but very few understand how or why they do in its entirety. However, these reasons make it a prime topic of interest for psychologists, neurologists, and biologists alike to undergo thorough research on due to the complex and interconnected nature of the subject.Īs mentioned above, illusions are somehow an incredibly well-known concept and a complete enigma in our world. Illusions are still a relatively under-researched and controversial field of interest due to the various factors that may play into each illusion, the various types of illusions that exist, and the difficulty of studying something that doesn’t technically exist. In fact, even researchers who devote themselves to studying various aspects of these phenomena are left perplexed and with many more questions than have been answered. Illusions are fascinating phenomena that almost everyone has likely experienced at one point or another in their lives, leaving them utterly bewildered and baffled as to how seemingly unreal effects or situations suddenly become very real.
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