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Week 6 [15.04 – 28.04.2019] Perception traps: how the senses distort reality

Why do we not hear what is in reality

Sometimes we hear something completely different from what we are told.
Our vision and hearing work in pairs, and, if the visual information contradicts the sound,
the brain prefers the one that gets through the eyes.


There is one interesting illusion that cannot be overcome even if you know what the matter is.
This is the MakGurk effect- the phenomenon of perception, which proves the relation
between hearing and vision.

In the video, the man pronounces the same “ba” sound, but first you see how the lips move correctly - precisely, to pronounce “ba”.
And then the picture changes as if the man says “fa,” and you really start to hear that sound.
However, he himself does not change. Try to close your eyes and see for yourself.

This works not only with individual sounds, but also with words.
Such illusions can lead to quarrels and misunderstandings, and even to more terrible consequences.
For example, if you mix up the sentences He’s got a boot and he’s gonna shoot.

There is another interesting sound illusion, not connected with sight and speech,
the effect of an approaching sound.
If the sound increases, a person is inclined to believe that he is closer if the volume decreases,
although the location of the sound source does not change.

This feature is easily explained by the desire to survive: if something comes nearer,
it is better to consider that it is closer in order to manage to escape or hide.

How do taste buds cheat us

Studies show that our taste sensations are also not the most reliable source of information.
So, wine connoisseurs were given turning white wine into red to try the same drink.
In the first case, it was ordinary white wine, and people indicated its characteristics.
Then red food dye was added to the same beverage and given again to the participants of the experiment. This time, connoisseurs felt the characteristic features of red wine, although the drink was the same.

Even the color of the dishes can affect the taste of food. The study showed cup color influences
taste of hot chocolate, when hot chocolate was served in a cream or orange cup, it seemed to
the participants sweeter and more fragrant than in white or red dishes.

It works with any drink: yellow cans enhance the taste of lemon, blue soda quenches thirst
better than red, and pink seems sweeter.
If it is so easy to deceive taste sensations, it can be assumed that tactile perception cannot
be trusted either.


How tactile sensations can deceive us

This proves the famous rubber arm experiment. The person puts his hands on the table:
he puts one behind the screen and leaves the other in plain sight.
Instead of the removed arm, a rubber limb is placed on the table in front of him.

Then, the researcher simultaneously strokes the rubber arm and the real one,
hidden behind the screen. After some time, the person begins to feel that the rubber limb is his hand.
And when the researcher hits it with a hammer, he gets very scared.



What is especially interesting is that during this experience the brain ceases to consider the
hidden hand as its own. Scientists measured the temperature of the limbs during the experiment,
and it turned out that the hand behind the screen was colder, while the visible hand and legs were
equally warm.

The visual picture deceives the brain, and it slows down the processing of information from a real hand.
This proves that the sensation of the body is closely connected with the sight and thinking.

Imperfect and our perception of weight. Dark objects seem to us heavier than bright ones.
Scientists have tested this effect. It turned out that with the same weight and shape,
a dark object seems to be 6.2% heavier than a light one. Keep this in mind when choosing dumbbells.

Despite all the illusions and distortions, we are used to trusting our senses to
allow ourselves to doubt them. And this is right, because we have no other sources of information,
nor will there be.
Just remember that sometimes even direct experience of perception can be wrong.

Questions:
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Do you agree with the theory?

Links:

Comments

Anna Koca said…
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?

No, I haven't.

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?

I can't recall anything in particular but I can't think how it can be possible-after all whenever you move your lips to say "fa" you will automatically produce "fa" and not "ba" - only in video can you put the sound over image falsely, in real life it cannot actually happen.

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?

Sometimes with smell - when some food automatically starts smelling bad after the due date, however often it smells exactly the same way as the day we bough it - it's just the
date that is messing with our minds.
Bartosz Barnat said…
I have heard about it few months ago. I watched a similar movie to it and it was really interesting. It was really similar to this video to be honest but less explained. I saw only an effect. I haven't watched anything like that from my personal experience but I need to try this with my friends. I have seen similar perceptual traps with a smell and taste and there are lots of videos/challenges where couples try something like that themselves.
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
No, I have never heard anything about the McGurk effect.
Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
I'm not a fan of something like that. I found it so annoying for me to watch, how our body react to this kind of experiments. When something similar to this happens, i feel not ok, my body starts to feel anxiety.
Maciej Sadoś said…
It seems that I have heard about it but I didn't know the name of the effect. I've seen the video you've attached before.
Yes, I've watched both of your attached videos before so I'm a little bit familiar with the topic.
Sometimes when I know that some food is after the expiration date it seems to stink more but it's identical.
I agree with the theory
1. I did not know it's called like that, but I've heard about the relationship between sound and image and how it's interpreted by the brain.
2. relatively often this topic appeared in popular science programs. So I'm familiar with this topic.
3. The sensation of temperature comes to my mind. In the autumn when it is 10 degrees it seems to me extremely cold and I wear a jacket. At the same temperature in the spring I wear a T-shirt and it seems very pleasant to me.
4. Everything indicates that the theory is correct.
Same here. I've watched it before, so it was not new for me. I also agree with the theory.
The whole sensoric system of an organism is complete and functions with a range of dependencies on each other. Like hearing can give you a hint on the sound's location, which is to be searched with eyes, and so on. Causing malfunction or tricking one of the senses is more than enough to take over one's perception. This is the fact every illusionist know very well.

I have heard of this effect, and it seems logical to me. Even if you try, you cannot take over your brain's settings, and it will continue processing data as is. And this data flow may well be controlled.
1. Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?

No, I haven't. This is the first time I hear the name of this effect, but I've seen similar videos with this effect.

2. Have you watched something like this from personal experience?

I heard about some similar effects but never experienced them on my own.

3. Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?

First, which comes to my mind is when, you think, that hand/leg/eye is itching it really start itching.

4. Do you agree with the theory?

I agree with the theory.
Nataliya Tkach said…
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
No, I've never heard the exact name of this effect. But I googled)

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
Perhaps, I probably didn't focus on this.

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Very often, the nose picks up strange smells. Sometimes when I go out and close my eyes I catch with my nose the smell of the past.

Do you agree with the theory?
Yes, I agree with the theory. But this is still a theory, even though it is used for speech recognition programs, but it seems to me that it doesn't affect all people.
Ewelina said…
1. I have never heard of this. This is the first time I have heard about it from your article.
2. I think so, although at the moment I can't give an example.
3. Of course, even an illusion of sight. Op-art and elements that move in our eyes and are in fact motionless.
Anton Medvediev said…
1.Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
I hear about it first time, i like thing like McGurk effect and how did you write in presentation”Try to close your eyes and see for yourself.” it’s funny :)
2.Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
When you a car fun you have a problem with sounds of engine or braking or suppression, so you riding with you friends in 4 and listen to music, talking and then you hear something, and decrease the volume of music, told to shut up and open the windows, and then you understand that that time is anything okay:)
3.Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Close your eyes and ask you friend to open hot or ice water on your hand, 2-3 seconds you will not understand is it hot or ice :)
4.Do you agree with the theory?
i am agree with it
Earlier, relatively long ago, I was interested in this topic and conducted various tests. In truth, I was surprised that you can deceive your feelings. In fact, there are a great many similar examples. And I completely agree with this theory, as I have experienced this theory on my personal experience.
Honestly, I started doing this only after I saw a man in white on the street, who disappeared under the light of a lantern. It was very scary and disturbing. I thought that I was losing my mind, or maybe this is alien? But having studied the question, I realized that my brain had deceived me.
For example, add another link to the video. Video unfortunately in Russian, but youtube has subtitles =)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqAn1VjPNFs
Illusions are nothing new but it's really amusing. There were a lot of discussion about many of them on the internet. I think all the magicians were using deception and illusions in their tricks. It's amazing how much we can be fooled by ourselves.
My favorite illusion is the one with rubber hand. It's so hilarious. Watching it on video it seems so ridiculous it cannot be true.
I have never encountered a professional definition of this effect. I have never watched similar videos, but I experienced this effect at the Copernicus science center. There's a pipe there that's cold but when u hold it for a longer period of time it becomes hot. It seems that this theory is correct.
Zygmunt Z said…
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?

Yes I have. I have come across the videos you attached some time ago.

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?

Yes, I did watch the videos you posted

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?

Yes, especially with food and smell. As others said, you may feel that food stinks when you see that it is expired but in the end it tastes the same

Do you agree with the theory?

Yes, I do

s18716 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
ExoKuzo said…
Ive heard, seen and experiences the McGurk effect before, really marvelous thing how our brain so complicated and powerful can still be easily deceived. Since im working a lot of in VR i have seen couple different brain fails when it comes to sensory confusion.
I've experienced the effect that distorts what our ears hear, ive experienced how our smell sensor can deceive us when exposed to to much smell every sense we have can deceive us in some way, sometimes even more than one and yet without them we re nothing. Thats why its important to care for all of them equally as they complement each other and provide us with tools for future discoveries.
Marta Kowalczyk said…
1. Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
Yes, I watched a film that was among other about this effect.

2. Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
I have never seen it personally, but in a film.

3. Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
I don’t know if optical illusions count, but I have seen quite a lot of them. I can’t really think of anything else. It is very interesting how easily our brains can be fulled. It can teach a lot about how brains work.
1. I heard, but I did not know it was called.
2. No, but I would like to try it.
3. At the moment I do not associate anything like that.
4. Yes, It seems to make sense.
Yes, I heard about this effect. Human perception is a very interesting topic. We learned this theory in a psychology class and even conducted several different experiences. The experience with a hammer blow on a rubber hand that lies instead of your real one I remember most of all. I was sure I felt pain. Also, these theories are used in creativity. A person perceives the imposition of one color on another in different ways. It is very interesting and informative.
Peter Clemenza said…
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?

Yeah, thats very interesting that brain tricks us. It seems to me that something like death in movie matrix is possible.

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
No, however I really would like to try

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Tricky question for a male

Do you agree with the theory?
Very interesting. worth agreement
Answering your questions:

1. Nope, unfortunately I have never heard anything about the McGurk effect.

2. I really do not think I will experience anything like this. At least I can't remember.

3. I think deja-vu - the feeling that one has lived through the present situation before. I often have deja-vu and it is sometimes a great feeling.

4. Yes, I agree with this theory, because in my opinion every theory is supported by solid evidence, like this.
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
Yes, but i did not know what this thing was called.

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
Hm, rather not, I once saw an animation with a woman spinning, when it was possible to change the direction just by thinking diffrently, while animation was the same. What is interesting, I was able to change direction multiple times.

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Only with optical illusions. It is interesting how much everything in our bodies is connected with each other and have influence on each other. Our brains seem to have weakness on these tricks, habbits are superior to reality.

Do you agree with the theory?
Yest i agree with the theory.
Only from this movie you provided, but man this is crazy and who to believe now if you can’t even trust your own brain.
No haven’t watched something like this from personal experience. I only saw some documentary movies and some illusionist in tv, and they show you how easily you can be manipulated if you meet wrong person.
Maybe hearing, when you heard running water and now you must go to bathroom
I never before heard about McGurk effect but I watched some documents about visual illusions and how easy human eye can be deceived. Good example of it is bounce light that happen in shadow area of an object. When we look at place where bounce light appears it's seems lighter than the darkest places in lighted area but in reality they are not. From my personal expirience I encounter situation when drinking beer from dark bottle I had a feeling of drinking dark type of beer but when I pour it into a glass and I found out that in reality it's wheat beer the taste change. I remember I was really surprised at that time. I think that our senses might as well as us be the victim of habits and simply create situation where brain combine facts from previous experiences which results in distortions of actual facts.
1. No, I haven’t, but have made use of it in a sense. In theatre and animation both it is encouraged for actors to over exaggerate their expressions for a cleaner read of dialogue. In animation something of a opposite is possible too. Depending on the style you can create convincing lip sync with as little four expressions when in really we use around twenty four.
2. Basically everything about movie making is an art of illusions. So yes, a plenty.
3. I find that memories of a smell tend to trigger when there is none. For example I can often smell sulphur while holding an egg even when its perfectly fresh.
4. Sure.
1.Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
No, I've never heard it, but I see that this is very interesting. I would like to read about it more . Thank You for that topic

2.Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
No, never but I want , do You have some interesing moves or documents about this topic ?

3.Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
When I close my eyes, I can't feel some smells like smell of my favourite flowers, smell of forest or other things, but I never felt again smells like smell of dishes (vegetables , friuts of course) or some animals like cats. I can;t explain it

Do you agree with the theory?
For now I don't know, I don't have for now my own things about it . I must to think about it more.
Have you heard anything about the McGurk effect?
Yes I have heard about it some time ago, but I can’t say that I understood it fully at the moment.

Have you watched something like this from personal experience?
Yes, I have seen some example videos.

Have you observed perceptual traps with other sensory organs?
Yes, particularly with food, for example my kind-of-vegan-but-not-really friend claims that she doesn’t like the taste of meat, but she doesn’t mind eating it when she doesn’t know that it’s in her food.

Do you agree with the theory?
Yes, I do agree
1. Not until now.
2. Yes, I can't come up with any specific examples but I definitely had similar situations before.
3. Yes, also with the eyes being involved- scientists have proven that no matter on the letter order in a word, as lnog as the frist and last lteter are crrocet our bairn wlil still relatively easily understand the message and put the letters in the correct order almost subconciously- just like you did in the sentence above.
4. I do, it seems very logical and it makes a lot of sense when I think about it.

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