How it works

1. Optical Illusions – please grab the sheet from the front and start sorting – do not use your notes! (one per table)

2. How it works Optical Illusions can use color, light and patterns to create images that can be deceptive or misleading to our brains. The information gathered by the eye is processed by the brain, creating a perception that in reality, does not match the true image. Perception refers to the interpretation of what we take in through our eyes. Optical illusions occur because our brain is trying to interpret what we see and make sense of the world around us. Optical illusions simply trick our brains into seeing things which may or may not be real.

4. 1. What do you see?

5. . . .platform workers or patio workers?

6. 2. What do you see?

7. . . . an old lady or a young lady?

8. 3. Which center circle is the largest?

9. Neither! They are the same size.

10. 4. What do you see?

11. Vases or faces?

12. 5. What do you see?

13. Can you find the vase? Older couple? Bug? Guitar player? Young lady? Lady with a basket on her head?

14. 6. Is the inside of the circle moving?

15. No!

16. 7. Are the lines straight or uneven?

17. Both the vertical and horizontal lines are straight!

18. 8. How many black circles are there?

19. None!

20. 9. How many legs does this elephant have?

21. Look again. It only has 4.

22. 10. How many different colors do you see?

23. There are only 3 colors, white, pink and green.

24. 11. How many faces do you see?

25. Did you find at least 15?

26. 12. Take a very good look at these stairs. What is unique about them?

27. Depending on which direction you look they are either all going down or all going up.

28. Moving Spiral IllusionStare at the center for 10 seconds and begin moving your eyes around the outer perimeter...

29. Does it appear to be moving, shimmering, or just making you dizzy?Also: Follow the outermost groove and watch itchange from a groove to a hump as you go around the wheel

30. 13. Kanizsa TriangleWhat is different about this figure?

31. In the accompanying figure a white effect is known as a subjective or illusory contour. Also, the nonexistent white triangle appears to be brighter than the surrounding area, but in fact it has the same brightness as the background.

32. 14. Tallest Soldier IllusionCan you pick out the tallest soldier?

33. Did you find him? Hmmmm!

34. 15. Do you see the spiral?

35. Ha! There is no spiral. This is actually several circles.

36. 16. How many wolves do you see?

37. Did you find at least 5?

38. Say each color as indicated by the words.

39. 17. What made this hard to do?

40. 18. What do you see?

41. Did you see a rabbit or a bird?

42. 19. How can this be?

43. 20. What do you see in the circle?

44. You should see the number 12.

45. 21. What do you see in the circle?

46. All females should see the number 26. Some males will not see the number.

47. 22. What do you see in the center of the circle?

48. Can you trace a line from one "X" to the other? Someone with normal color vision will trace a orange/brown purple line and those with a slight deficiency will follow a different path.

49. Wow!

50. How creepy is this!