Change Blindness.

[chayton]

Has anyone ever heard of this before? Funny I just came across an article from like 10 years ago and I'm finding it quite interesting. Basically what it is, is that a big change can happen right in front of your eyes and you might not even notice.

One of the experiments I read about was when they'd have a person (call him A) stop and ask directions from someone on the street. Then they'd have someone else push rudely between the two carrying a large object like a door, and in that brief confusion, (A) would slip away and the other person (B) would replace them and continue the conversation. The person giving the directions most times didn't even notice the change. Personally I find that weird because I'd definitely notice a whole person changing.

But then they have these sets of photos - two identical photos with one (sometimes big) change. If you look at them side by side you can spot the difference right away, or if you make an animated gif it's really obvious. But then they discovered that if they added a blank space, or a 'flicker' between the two images it makes it a LOT harder for people to spot the change. Of course once you see the difference it's impossible to UNsee it again.

I was looking for some examples and thought I'd see if anyone else finds this cool. I don't think I can post animated gifs so here are a couple killed links from this one site.

xxhttp://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/CBMovies/Sailboat.gif

xxhttp://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/demos/flicker-O'Regan.gif

xxhttp://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/CBMovies/NursesFlickerMovie.gif (I actually had a harder time finding this one even though it was so bloody obvious!)

 

[Zabier]

My wife sometimes says I have change blindness because she will tidy the house up and I won't even notice! On a serious note, psychology really fascinates me but it does freak me out a bit. Especially with things like this. Makes you realise how much the human brain can be manipulated.

 

[chayton]

My wife sometimes says I have change blindness because she will tidy the house up and I won't even notice!

hahaha...yeah I think most men have that kind of blindness. It's why they don't understand why we need more than one or two pairs of black shoes!

 

[Zabier]

hahaha...yeah I think most men have that kind of blindness. It's why they don't understand why we need more than one or two pairs of black shoes!

Seriously, the shoe thing, what is up with that?! I wouldn't mind if they evenly rotated them throughout the month but 95% of them end up at the back of the cupboard without even being worn. Women can be strange like that... the mystical leprechaun-type hoarders!

 

[chayton]

Seriously, the shoe thing, what is up with that?! I wouldn't mind if they evenly rotated them throughout the month but 95% of them end up at the back of the cupboard without even being worn. Women can be strange like that... the mystical leprechaun-type hoarders!

We can be strange in lots of ways buster, and don't you forget it.

Besides not all women are obsessed with shoes. There are other things in life ya know. Like purses. lol

Seriously though, I don't get it either. I have a friend who was moving and I helped her pack. I got the job of packing up the clothes from 2 of her closets, and I swear that she must have had 30 black turtleneck sweaters. I don't even own one, but if I did, one would be enough. But for her, there were these subtle changes between them so she needed to keep them all.

 

[Zabier]

30 black turtleneck sweaters... turtleneck sweaters? At what stage does it require an intervention? Lol.