How comparatively widespread are visual illusions?

J Comp Psychol. 2019 Nov;133(4):417-418. doi: 10.1037/com0000204.

Abstract

Researchers and artists have long been interested in visual illusions because they illustrate the interesting, complicated, and constrained ways in which we perceive the world. Although we may not be familiar with the names of the many different visual illusions that exist (e.g., the Necker cube, the Müller-Lyer illusion, and the Hermann grid illusion, to name a few), people with typically functioning will certainly have seen many of these. We have known for centuries that humans perceive these illusions. We have known for the past few decades that nonhuman mammals can perceive these illusions, and very recent work has revealed that birds and fish perceive some of these illusions, though sometimes in a way opposite to how our own species does. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Publication types

  • Introductory Journal Article

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Optical Illusions / physiology*