The document explains how optical illusions occur due to the brain's expectations and processing of visual information, rather than the actual properties of light or images. It highlights various examples of visual illusions, demonstrating how perception can be tricked by presenting misleading images. The underlying principle is that our brain fills in gaps based on learned experiences, leading to misinterpretations of visual stimuli.

1. Why
Does Our
Mind See
Illusions?

2. The Human brain put images together
because it has learned to expect things;
sometimes the data might get a little
confused.
We may see an illusion because we
know what we are expected to see, even
though part of a picture or design may not
be completely there. The basis of this is in
how we perceive things.

3. One example of optical illusion is the
television. The television just shows us a
continuous flow of still pictures, one right after
the other. Your eyes, along with your brain, fill
in all of the empty spots.
Our brain has learned to expect
movement. As a result, our brain can fill in all
of the missing pieces and the pictures on the
television appear to be moving, even though
they really aren’t!

4. Optical illusions just trick you into
seeing something else.
They are an error in our perception of
the illusion.

5. Visual illusions occur due to
properties of the visual areas of the
brain as they receive and process
information.
In other words, your perception of
an illusion has more to do with how
your brain works -- and less to
do with the optics of your eye.

6. There's a face... and the word
What do
What do you see?

7. No, they're both the same
size
Is the left center circle bigger?

8. It's a spiral, right?
No, these are a bunch of independent
circles

9. Keep staring at the black dot. After a while
the gray haze around it will appear to
shrink.

10. Can you find the dog?

11. Stare at the black lightbulb for at least 30 seconds.
Then immediately stare at a white area on the screen
or at a sheet of paper. You should see a glowing light bulb!

12. How many colors do you see?
There are only 3 colors: White, green, and pink.
There seem to be two different shades of pink,
but there is only one pink.

14. Do you see a couple or a skull?

15. Count the black dots! :o)

16. Are the horizontal lines parallel or do they slope?

17. How many legs does this elephant have?

18. Do you see the three faces?

19. What does the sign say? Are you
sure?

20. Do you see the face? Or an Eskimo?

21. Do you see a musician or a girl's face?

28. Look at the words below from left to right. Say out loud the
COLOR not the word.
This is a left to right conflict. The right side of your brain tries to
say the color while the left insists on reading the word.

29. Stare at the blue circles and move your
head back and forth from the screen. Do
the outer circles move?

30. Can you believe that this is a picture and
not an animation? To check, just focus on
one leaf for 5 seconds.

31. Do you see one woman or two women
looking at the candle?

32. What word do you see?