Adamson University

San Marcelino, Manila

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS (PERCEPTUAL SPACE)

Submitted by: BAUTISTA, ROY BENEDICT N

Submitted to: ARC! DIANE A "OSE

Se#t $%, &$%%

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Fig. 1 Waterways Illusion. The blue squares appear but are not are slanted. Fig. 2 The two circles seem to move when the viewer's head is moving forwards and backwards while looking at the black dot. Fig. 3 Floor tiles at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in ome. The pattern creates an illusion of three!dimensional bo"es.

WHAT ARE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS?

An o#ti'a( i(()sion (also called a vis)a( i(()sion) is characteri!ed by "isually percei"ed ima#es that differ from ob$ecti"e reality% The information #athered by the eye is processed in the brain to #i"e a perception that does not tally &ith a physical measurement of the stimulus source% There are three main types: literal optical illusions that create ima#es that are different from the ob$ects that ma'e them, physiolo#ical ones that are the effects on the eyes and brain of e(cessi"e stimulation of a specific type (bri#htness, colour, si!e, position, tilt, mo"ement), and co#niti"e illusions, the result of unconscious inferences%

P*ysio(o+i'a( I(()sions
Fig. 4 - Scintillating grid illusion. Shape# position# colour# and $% contrast converge to produce the illusion of black dots at the intersections.

P*ysio(o+i'a( i(()sions, such as the afterima#es follo&in# bri#ht li#hts, or adaptin# stimuli of e(cessi"ely lon#er alternatin# patterns (contin#ent perceptual aftereffect), are presumed to be the effects on the eyes or brain of e(cessi"e stimulation or interaction &ith conte(tual or competin# stimuli of a specific type)bri#htness, colour, position, tile, si!e, mo"ement, etc% The theory is that a stimulus follo&s its indi"idual dedicated neural path in the early sta#es of "isual processin#, and that intense or repetiti"e acti"ity in that or interaction &ith acti"e ad$oinin# channels cause a physiolo#ical imbalance that alters perception

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Fig. 5 - Hermann grid illusion. %ark blobs appear at the intersections Fig. 6 - !e "ac! #ands illusion. The image consists of two regions with uniform lightness separated b& a narrower strip with a uniform lightness gradient. 'otice the dark band that appears immediatel& to the right and the light band that appears immediatel& to the left of the middle strip.

The !ermann +rid i(()sion and ,a'* -ands are t&o illusions that are best e(plained usin# a biolo#ical approach% *ateral inhibition, &here in the recepti"e field of the retina li#ht and dar' receptors compete &ith one another to become acti"e, has been used to e(plain &hy &e see bands of increased bri#htness at the ed#e of a colour difference &hen "ie&in# Mach bands% Once a receptor is acti"e it inhibits ad$acent receptors% This inhibition creates contrast, hi#hli#htin# ed#es% In the +ermann #rid illusion the #ray spots appear at the intersection because of the inhibitory response &hich occurs as a result of the increased dar' surround% *ateral inhibition has also been used to e(plain the +ermann #rid illusion, but this has been dispro"ed% More recent ,empirical, approaches to optical illusions ha"e had some success in e(plainin# optical phenomena &ith &hich theories based on lateral inhibition ha"e stru##led (e%#% +o&e et al% -../ 0)%

Look at this woman for about one minute then look at the empty space on the right

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Co+nitive I(()sions 1o#niti"e illusions are assumed to arise by interaction &ith assumptions about the &orld, leadin# to ,unconscious inferences,, an idea first su##ested in the 2th century by +ermann +elmholt!% 1o#niti"e illusions are commonly di"ided into ambi#uous illusions, distortin# illusions, parado( illusions, or fiction illusions% % Am-i+)o)s i(()sions are pictures or ob$ects that elicit a perceptual 3s&itch3 bet&een the alternati"e interpretations% The Ne'.er ')-e is a &ell 'no&n e(ample4 another instance is the R)-in vase%

Fig. $ %ec&er 'u#e. (iewed from a certain angle# this cube appears to def& the laws of geometr&. Fig. ( )u#in *ase. Facial figures within the wooden cup) this one matches her face profile perfectl&. She must have been the face model for the carving.

-% Distortin+ or +eometri'a(/o#ti'a( i(()sions are characteri!ed by distortions of si!e, len#th, position or cur"ature% A stri'in# e(ample is the Ca01 2a(( i(()sion% Other e(amples is the famous ,3((er/Lyer i(()sion and Pon4o i(()sion%

Fig. $ 'a+,-wall Illusion. *rchitecture inspired b& the caf+ wall illusion# at ,elbourne %ocklands. Fig. ( "uller--yer Ilusion. Two sets of arrows that e"hibit the ,-ller!L&er optical illusion. The set on the bottom shows that all the arrows are of the same length. .t was devised b& F./. ,-ller!L&er in 0112 Fig. . /on0o Illusion. Both hori3ontal lines are the same si3e. .t was first demonstrated b& the .talian ps&chologist ,ario 4on3o 5011670289: in 020$

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5% Parado5 i(()sions are #enerated by ob$ects that are parado(ical or impossible, such as the Penrose trian+(e or im#ossi-(e ad$acent ed#es must $oin% stair'ases seen, for e(ample, in , C Es'*er6s 1scending and 2escending and Water+all The trian#le is an illusion dependent on a co#niti"e misunderstandin# that

Fig. 13 - !e /enrose triangle. .t was first created b& the Swedish artist ;scar eutersv<rd in 02$=. The mathematician oger 4enrose independentl& devised and popularised it in the 02>9s# describing it as ?impossibilit& in its purest form?. Fig. 11 - !e Im4ossi#le Staircase. *n impossible ob@ect created b& Lionel 4enrose and his son oger 4enrose. * variation on the 4enrose triangle# it is a two!dimensional depiction of a staircase in which the stairs make four 29!degree turns as the& ascend or descend &et form a continuous loop# so that a person could climb them forever and never get an& higher. This is clearl& impossible in three dimensions.

Fig. 12 - 1scending and 2escending. * lithograph print b& the %utch artist ,. /. Ascher which was first printed in ,arch 0289. Fig. 13 - Water+all is a lithograph& print b& the %utch artist ,. /. Ascher which was first printed in ;ctober# 0280. .t shows an apparent parado" where water from the base of a waterfall appears to run uphill before reaching the top of the waterfall.

6% 7i'tiona( i(()sions are defined as the perception of ob$ects that are #enuinely not there to all but a sin#le obser"er, such as those induced by schi!ophrenia or a hallucino#en% These are more properly called hallucinations%

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E5#(anation o0 some Co+nitive I(()sions

Perceptual Organization
To ma'e sense of the &orld it is necessary to or#ani!e incomin# sensations into information &hich is meanin#ful% 7estalt psycholo#ists belie"e one &ay this is done is by percei"in# indi"idual sensory stimuli as a meanin#ful &hole% 7estalt or#ani!ation can be used to e(plain many illusions includin# the D)'./Ra--it i(()sion &here the ima#e as a &hole s&itches bac' and forth from bein# a duc' then bein# a rabbit and &hy in the 0i+)re/ +ro)nd i(()sion the fi#ure and #round are re"ersible%

In addition, 7estalt theory can be used to e(plain the illusory contours in the 8ani4sa Trian+(e% A floatin# &hite trian#le, &hich does not e(ist, is seen% The brain has a need to see familiar simple ob$ects and has a tendency to create a ,&hole, ima#e from indi"idual elements% 7estalt means ,form, or ,shape, in 7erman% +o&e"er, another e(planation of the 8ani!sa Trian#le is based in e"olutionary psycholo#y and the fact that in order to sur"i"e it &as important to see form and ed#es% The use of perceptual or#ani!ation to create meanin# out of stimuli is the principle behind other &ell-'no&n illusions includin# impossible ob$ects% Our brain ma'es sense of shapes and symbols puttin# them to#ether li'e a $i#sa& pu!!le, formulatin# that &hich isn3t there to that &hich is belie"able%

De#t* and motion #er'e#tion Illusions can be based on an indi"idual3s ability to see in three dimensions e"en thou#h the ima#e hittin# the retina is only t&o dimensional% The Pon!o illusion is an e(ample of an illusion &hich uses monocular cues of depth perception to fool the eye% In the Pon4o i(()sion the con"er#in# parallel lines tell the brain that the ima#e hi#her in the "isual field is farther a&ay therefore the brain percei"es the ima#e to be lar#er, althou#h the t&o ima#es hittin# the retina are the same si!e% The Optical illusion seen in a diorama9false perspecti"e also e(ploits assumptions based on monocular cues of depth perception% *i'e depth perception, motion perception is responsible for a number of sensory illusions% :ilm animation is based on the illusion that the brain percei"es a series of sli#htly "aried ima#es produced in rapid succession as a mo"in#

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picture% *i'e&ise, &hen &e are mo"in#, as &e &ould be &hile ridin# in a "ehicle, stable surroundin# ob$ects may appear to mo"e% ;e may also percei"e a lar#e ob$ect, li'e an airplane, to mo"e more slo&ly than smaller ob$ects, li'e a car, althou#h the lar#er ob$ect is actually mo"in# faster%

Co(o)r and -ri+*tness 'onstan'ies

Fig. 14 - Simultaneous 'ontrast Illusion. The background is a colour gradient and progresses from dark gre& to light gre&. The hori3ontal bar appears to progress from light gre& to dark gre&# but is in fact @ust one colour. Fig. 15 '!ec&ers!adow Illusion. the coloured regions appear rather different# roughl& orange and brown. .n fact the& are the same colour# and in identical immediate surrounds# but the brain changes its assumption about colour due to the global interpretation of the surrounding image. *lso# the white tiles that are shadowed are the same colour as the gre& tiles outside the shadow.

Perceptual constancies are sources of illusions% 1olour constancy and bri#htness constancy are responsible for the fact that a familiar ob$ect &ill appear the same colour re#ardless of the amount of or colour of li#ht reflectin# from it% An illusion of colour or contrast difference can be created &hen the luminosity or colour of the area surroundin# an unfamiliar ob$ect is chan#ed% The contrast of the ob$ect &ill appear dar'er a#ainst a blac' field that reflects less li#ht compared to a &hite field e"en thou#h the ob$ect itself did not chan#e in colour% Similarly, the eye &ill compensate for colour contrast dependin# on the colour cast of the surroundin# area%

O-9e't 'onsisten'ies <ust as it percei"es colour and bri#htness constancies, the brain has the ability to understand familiar ob$ects as ha"in# a consistent shape or si!e% :or e(ample a door is percei"ed as rectan#le re#ardless of ho& the ima#e may chan#e on the retina as the door is opened and closed% =nfamiliar ob$ects, ho&e"er, do not al&ays follo& the rules of shape constancy and may chan#e &hen the perspecti"e is chan#ed% The S*e#ard i(()sion of the chan#in# table is an e(ample of an illusion based on distortions in shape constancy% The table tops loo' li'e they are different si!es because one "ie& loo's li'e you3re loo'in# at the end of the table and the other loo's li'e a side "ie&% This illusion &as in"ented by Stanford psycholo#ist >o#er Shepard%

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7)t)re #er'e#tion >esearcher Mar' 1han#i!i of >ensselaer Polytechnic Institute in ?e& @or' has a more ima#inati"e ta'e on optical illusions, sayin# that they are due to a neural la# &hich most humans e(perience &hile a&a'e% 1han#i!i asserts that the human "isual system has e"ol"ed to compensate for neural delays by #eneratin# ima#es of &hat &ill occur one-tenth of a second into the future% This foresi#ht enables humans to react to e"ents in the present, enablin# humans to perform refle(i"e acts li'e catchin# a fly ball and to maneu"er smoothly throu#h a cro&d% Illusions occur &hen our brains attempt to percei"e the future, and those perceptions don3t match reality% :or e(ample, an illusion called the !erin+ i(()sion loo's li'e bicycle spo'es around a central point, &ith "ertical lines on either side of this central, so-called "anishin# point% The illusion tric's us into thin'in# &e are mo"in# for&ard, and thus, s&itches on our future-seein# abilities% Since &e aren3t actually mo"in# and the fi#ure is static, &e mispercei"e the strai#ht lines as cur"ed ones%

O#ti'a( I(()sions (Per'e#t)a( S#a'e) in a N)ts*e(( The broad definition of an optical illusion is essentially any ima#e percei"ed by your eyesi#ht to be "isually decepti"e% There are many different classes of optical illusion, relatin# to distortion of shape, color, pictures, si!e and distance, #eometric, sensory perception, and hallucino#enic illusions% Some optical illusions occur &ithout any other stimuli other than the ima#e itself, others rely on your o&n "oluntary eye mo"ement to produce an illusionary effect% Others rely on us to focus on a particular point of the ima#e% An optical illusion occurs because the different cells and receptors of the eye percei"e ima#es and colors at different rates, &hich sometimes result in a false ima#e bein# relayed to the brain% The brain recei"es information from receptors in the eye, but in actuality, the eye only percei"es a certain Auantity of "isual information at any #i"en time, &hile our brain continuously decodes, constructs and reconstructs "isual information, #i"in# us the illusion of continuous si#ht% The ri#ht combination of colors, shapes, spatial relations, and other stimuli "ie&ed by the eyes and reported to the brain durin# the relays of information can achie"e the effect of an optical illusion%

Other Types of Optical Illusions

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B(ivet, also 'no&n as a poiuyt, is an undecipherable fi#ure, an optical illusion and an impossible ob$ect% It appears to ha"e three cylindrical pron#s at one end &hich then mysteriously transform into t&o rectan#ular pron#s at the other end%

Be4o(d E00e't is an optical illusion, named after a 7erman professor of meteorolo#y, ;ilhelm "on Be!old ( C5D- 2.D), &ho disco"ered that a color may appear different dependin# on its relation to ad$acent colors% In the abo"e e(ample, the red seems li#hter combined &ith the &hite, and dar'er combined &ith the blac'%

T*e C*)-- I(()sion is an optical illusion &herein the apparent contrast of an ob$ect "aries dramatically, dependin# on the conte(t of the presentation% *o&-contrast te(ture surrounded by a uniform field appears to ha"e hi#her contrast than &hen it is surrounded by hi#h-contrast te(ture% This &as obser"ed and documented by 1hubb and collea#ues in 2C2%

E--in+*a)s I(()sion is an optical illusion of relati"e si!e perception% In the best-'no&n "ersion of the illusion, t&o circles of identical si!e are placed near to each other and one is surrounded by lar#e circles &hile the other is surrounded by small circles4 the first central circle then appears smaller than the second central circle%

7raser S#ira( I(()sion The illusion is also 'no&n as the false spiral, or by its ori#inal name, the t&isted cord illusion% The o"erlappin# blac' arc se#ments appear to form a spiral4 ho&e"er, the arcs are a series of concentric circles%

Im#ossi-(e C)-e I(()sion or irrational cube is an impossible ob$ect that dra&s upon the ambi#uity present in a ?ec'er cube illustration% An impossible cube is usually rendered as a ?ec'er cube in &hich the ed#es are apparently solid beams% This apparent solidity #i"es the impossible cube #reater "isual ambi#uity than the ?ec'er cube, &hich is less li'ely to be percei"ed as an impossible ob$ect% The illusion plays on the human eyeEs interpretation of t&o-dimensional pictures as threedimensional ob$ects% Isometri' I(()sion (also called an ambi#uous fi#ure or inside9outside illusion) is a type of optical illusion, specifically one due to multistable perception% In the ima#e abo"e, the shape can be percei"ed as either an inside

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or

an

outside

corner%

"astro2 I(()sion is an optical illusion disco"ered by the American psycholo#ist <oseph <astro& in CC2% In this illustration, the t&o fi#ures are identical, althou#h the lo&er one appears to be lar#er%

Or-ison I(()sion is an optical illusion that &as first described by the psycholo#ist ;illiam Orbison in 252% The boundin# rectan#le and inner sAuare both appear distorted in the presence of the radiatin# lines% The bac'#round #i"es us the impression there is some sort of perspecti"e% As a result, our brain sees the shape distorted% This is a "ariant of the +erin# and ;undt illusions% Po++endor00 I(()sion is an optical illusion that in"ol"es the brainEs perception of the interaction bet&een dia#onal lines and hori!ontal and "ertical ed#es% It is named after <ohann Po##endorff ( D2FCDD), a 7erman physicist &ho first described it in CF.% In the ima#e abo"e, a strai#ht blac' and red line is obscured by a #rey rectan#le% The blue line appears, instead of the red line, to be the same as the blac' one, &hich is clearly sho&n not to be the case in the second picture%

:*ite;s I(()sion is an optical illusion illustratin# the fact that the same tar#et luminance can elicit different perceptions of bri#htness in different conte(ts% ?ote, that althou#h the #ray rectan#les are all of eAual luminance, the ones seen in the conte(t &ith the dar' stripes appear bri#hter than the ones seen in the conte(t &ith the bri#ht stripes% ?ote that this effect is opposite to &hat &ould be e(pected from a simple physiolo#ical e(planation on the basis of simultaneous contrast (in that case the rectan#les sharin# the lon# borders &ith the dar' stripes should appear bri#hter)% <=((ner I(()sion In this fi#ure the blac' lines seem to be unparallel, but in reality they are parallel% The shorter lines are on an an#le to the lon#er lines% This an#le helps to create the impression that one end of the lon#er lines is nearer to us than the other end% This is "ery similar to the &ay the ;undt illusion appears% It may be that the GHllner illusion is caused by this impression of depth%

Other Sa ples of Optical Illusions

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The buildin# &all &as not actually dama#ed or bombed, itEs an art&or' illusion%

The &hole &all is a bi# con"incin# illusion% The &all is actually flat%

The red lines in this picture are actually strai#ht, they $ust appear to be &a"y%

The Imoon illusionJ consists of t&o phenomena: ( ) the moon appears lar#er than it actually is, and (-) this enlar#ement is much stron#er on the hori!on than at the !enith% 7enerally, any celestial ob$ects near the hori!on loo's lar#er than &hen the same ob$ect is hi#h on the s'y%

Stare at the &or' focus and the ima#e &ill start to mo"e%

Paintin# IAll is KanityJ by 1harles Allen 7illbert ( CD5- 2-2)% This is not an Ioptical illusionJ proper, itEs more a physical effect: ;ith the stron# spatial lo&-pass filterin#, the blurred "ersion simply lac's the fine details%

Other Sa ples of Optical Illusions

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This #irl painted her car in such a &ay that it blends &ith its bac'#round% A tourist seems to be holdin# the entire island column in this photo%

Is the hand-print embossed or e(truded (1on"e( or 1onca"e)L

The &ord Idi#italJ is hidden inside the li#hter &ord Ianalo#%

An old fi"e-peso bill placed on top of Mr% beanEs photo creates a funny optical illusion%

1?? co"era#e durin# a Sept% ;orld Trade 1enter attac' &here a silhouette of a demon seem to appear%

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