Thursday, March 16, 2023

Bistable Percepts

Most people are familiar with the face / vase illusion (below). Psychologists refer to it as a "bistable percept." 


A bistable percept is an image that can be perceived in two different ways. The perception can switch back and forth between the two interpretations, but you only see one at a time. 


Another example of a bistable percept is the Necker cube which switches from appearing above you and projecting to the right, to appearing below you and projecting to the left.

One characteristic is that the duality, once perceived, can't be forgotten.

4 comments:

CerverGirl said...

The "above and projecting right" was difficult for me to see. Once seen, I had to still be deliberate to see it again, because the low projecting left was the first I saw and still dominant...

Dick Hopkinson said...

Is that your profile I see on the face/vase? Clever.

Jim Williams said...

it's 'tristable' as there is a man with a hat on at the bottom of the vase.

Raj PDF Official said...

Is that your profile I see on the face/vase? Clever ?