This document discusses how perception shapes reality and can create optical illusions. It contains several images showing ambiguous figures or lines of different lengths that appear the same. The text explains that our brains will perceive patterns even where they don't exist, and that we can see multiple interpretations of images once aware of the alternatives. It emphasizes that our own views are shaped by our unique experiences and lenses, so we must try to see things from other people's perspectives to have empathy, validate their experiences, and communicate effectively to avoid conflict.

1. Week 2
Perception is Reality
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company

2. Perception Is Reality
• What you perceive appears to be reality to you
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3. What Do You See?
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4. What Do You See?
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A vase?
Two faces?
Our brains will make faces out of
places where there are no faces

5. What Do You See?
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6. What Do You See?
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A rabbit?
A duck?
Once you know both choices your
brain can usually see both

7. Which Is Longer?
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8. Which Is Longer?
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The lines are the same length!
The arrows create an optical
illusion and trick your brain

9. Who Is Right?
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10. Who Is Right?
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Our own view, whether physical
sight or from our
mental/emotional standpoint,
creates our reality.
We must learn to see things not
just with our own lens, but
through the other person’s in
order to have empathy, validate
their experience, manage conflict,
and communicate effectively.

11. Perception Is Reality
• Any time you think you are 100% correct and allow no room for
the other person’s perspective, you
• Communicate a lack of empathy
• Invalidate their experience
• Demonstrate low emotional intelligence
• Escalate conflict
• Harm relationships
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12. Overcoming Our Perceptions
• Acknowledge that each person is likely to have a different
perception and validate the other person’s perspective.
• You don’t have to agree with them to do this!
• Recognize their experiences shaped their perspective to be
different than yours.
• Try to empathize and see how they got to their perspective and
why they continue to hold it.
• Acknowledge that your perspective is biased because it is based
only on your experiences.
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