Thatcher's Britain: a new take on an old illusion

Perception. 2014;43(12):1400-3. doi: 10.1068/p7853.

Abstract

The Thatcher Illusion is generally discussed as a phenomenon related to face perception. Nonetheless, we show that compellingly strong Thatcher Effects can be elicited with nonface stimuli, provided that the stimulus set has a familiar standard configuration and a canonical view. Apparently, the Thatcher Illusion is not about faces, and nor is it about Thatcher. It just might, however, be about Britain.

MeSH terms

  • Face*
  • Humans
  • Optical Illusions*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual*
  • Perceptual Distortion*
  • Psychophysics
  • Recognition, Psychology
  • Spatial Processing*