Mindblowing Optical Illusion

**Ziltoid** · 05-21-2012, 10:15 PM

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	...each face seems to become a caricature of itself and some faces appear highly deformed, even grotesque. The degree of distortion is greatest for faces that deviate from the others in the set on a particular dimension (eg if a person has a large forehead, it looks particularly large).

This is probably the most dramatic optical illusion I've ever seen.
Anyone have any theories to explain it?

Also, for bonus points, name the celebrity picture that creeped you out the most.
I found Hugh Laurie's thousand-yard stare extremely unsettling... O_o

**Megalomania** · 05-21-2012, 10:20 PM

Your mind fills in gaps in your visual field using context clues. This is most likely the same phenomenon except with faces. You can't really make out the faces well through your peripheral vision so perhaps your mind is filling in what it thinks should be there.

There is also some weird effect with the pairings. It seems like one face takes on the properties of the other? Or perhaps I am imagining this.

psykhe · 05-21-2012, 10:50 PM

	Originally Posted by Megalomania To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	It seems like one face takes on the properties of the other? Or perhaps I am imagining this.

I saw the same, some features are somehow delineated. Oh well.

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Othesemo · 05-21-2012, 11:07 PM

Damn. It's made worse by the fact that most of them didn't look too good in the first place.

**reckful** · 05-21-2012, 11:18 PM

	Originally Posted by Megalomania To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	There is also some weird effect with the pairings. It seems like one face takes on the properties of the other? Or perhaps I am imagining this.

I don't think the pairings have anything to do with it. If I cover one side with my hand and keep staring at the cross, the pix on the other side still look distorted.

**Megalomania** · 05-22-2012, 12:10 AM

	Originally Posted by psykhe To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I saw the same, some features are somehow delineated. Oh well. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. .

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^ when you bend over and look at the moon through your legs it looks smaller. Who knew?

	Originally Posted by reckful To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I don't think the pairings have anything to do with it. If I cover one side with my hand and keep staring at the cross, the pix on the other side still look distorted.

Good point. I wonder why 1) The researcher pairs the images and 2) what effect the alternating images have

**Frosted** · 05-22-2012, 12:15 AM

That was hilarious. I took my eyes off the cross for a moment just to make sure the images weren't altered.

**Ziltoid** · 05-22-2012, 12:18 AM

	Originally Posted by Megalomania To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Your mind fills in gaps in your visual field using context clues. This is most likely the same phenomenon except with faces. You can't really make out the faces well through your peripheral vision so perhaps your mind is filling in what it thinks should be there.

I'm not quite sure this could explain things entirely, since breaking your focus and looking directly at the picture and then back at the X again seems to break the effect, leaving the face looking normal. Even closing your eyes while staring at the x doesn't seem to reset them back to uglyness after you've looked directly at them, which I find pretty odd. It seems the "flashing in" of the faces suddenly is somehow central to the effect?

But, why?

**Frosted** · 05-22-2012, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Ziltoid
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I'm not quite sure this could explain things entirely, since breaking your focus and looking directly at the picture and then back at the X again seems to break the effect, leaving the face looking normal. Even closing your eyes while staring at the x doesn't seem to reset them back to uglyness after you've looked directly at them, which I find pretty odd. It seems the "flashing in" of the faces suddenly is somehow central to the effect?

Not for me. I took my eyes off the cross for a second and focused back on it and the faces were immediately messed up again. Perhaps taking your eyes off broke your mental focus.

**Zodd** · 05-22-2012, 12:22 AM

Natalie Portman still looked the best by far. followed Christina Hendricks, followed by Keira Knightley, followed by Mila Kunis. All they didn't look so bad.

**Ziltoid** · 05-22-2012, 12:23 AM

	Originally Posted by Frosted To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Not for me. I took my eyes off the cross for a second and focused back on it and the faces were immediately messed up again. Perhaps taking your eyes off broke your mental focus.

While the video was paused? Or while it was still playing?

If I pause the video while I'm staring at the X with a pair of faces, I can stare at the X for prettymuch an indefinite period of time without the faces changing to normal, but the second I break focus and they look "normal", there doesn't seem to be a way to make them look warped again without unpausing the video and moving on to another pair. Know what I mean?

**Frosted** · 05-22-2012, 12:26 AM

While it was playing.

---------- Post added 05-22-2012 at 03:27 AM ----------

Yeah the faces quickly changing in your peripheral vision is what makes the effect.

**BuShinJu** · 05-22-2012, 12:36 AM

Maybe it is your mind exaggerating certain facial features to speed up recognition of people in your periphery.

Like your mind might store the information about this person: Big forehead, googly shaped eyes and the rest is minor detail.

05-21-2012, 10:20 PM	#2
Megalomania Veteran Member [80%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 3,237	Your mind fills in gaps in your visual field using context clues. This is most likely the same phenomenon except with faces. You can't really make out the faces well through your peripheral vision so perhaps your mind is filling in what it thinks should be there. There is also some weird effect with the pairings. It seems like one face takes on the properties of the other? Or perhaps I am imagining this.
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05-21-2012, 11:07 PM	#4
Othesemo Core Member [122%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 4,895	Damn. It's made worse by the fact that most of them didn't look too good in the first place.
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05-22-2012, 12:15 AM	#7
Frosted Banned MBTI: INTj Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 3,200	That was hilarious. I took my eyes off the cross for a moment just to make sure the images weren't altered.
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05-22-2012, 12:22 AM	#10
Zodd Core Member [168%] MBTI: xxxx Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 6,749	Natalie Portman still looked the best by far. followed Christina Hendricks, followed by Keira Knightley, followed by Mila Kunis. All they didn't look so bad.
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05-22-2012, 12:26 AM	#12
Frosted Banned MBTI: INTj Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 3,200	While it was playing. ---------- Post added 05-22-2012 at 03:27 AM ---------- Yeah the faces quickly changing in your peripheral vision is what makes the effect.
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05-22-2012, 12:36 AM	#13
BuShinJu Member [43%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,734	Maybe it is your mind exaggerating certain facial features to speed up recognition of people in your periphery. Like your mind might store the information about this person: Big forehead, googly shaped eyes and the rest is minor detail.
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