It is true that the key to an illusionist's tricks is the misdirection of attention. But I believe that magicians are not the only one using these "tricks." Perhaps further studies could be made in order to find out why a group of people could be witnesses to the same event and yet, tell disparate versions of the same event or not even notice or remember things that other people witnesses might notice or remember.
Also, I think that we can be conditioned into not noticing things. If an image, for example, is constantly played in the background of, lets say, a television program, etc. we are watching and if this image is constantly played, we may become unconsciously conditioned to that image (never consciously taking note of its presence).
This sheds new light on the expression, being in the forest without seeing the trees.
This article made me wonder if there is something in our brains that is hardwired in such a way that limits our ultimate ability to tell what is real from what is illusion. It would be interesting if what they found in the study pointed toward some sort of evolutionary brain trait that allowed for this misperception. Anyways, I think it is fascinating that magic tricks are being used to study the brain, because on a somatosensory level, it is extremely relevant. It would be really neat to know what is going on in the brain upon experiencing a magic trick, a bent reality.
This might be out of the range of the study, but what of the subconscious? The article mentions how different magic tricks stimulate different parts of the viewer's brain in order to be effective, but do the researchers study the more unconscious magic 'trick' of hypnotism? What (if anything) happens then?
I was curious about different brains reacting to magic tricks - like children who laugh and follow the trick and those who are natural skeptics and are always looking for the real trick... Interesting to pair magic w/neuroscience.
Now that autism and motor neurons are on my mind, would a magic trick be the same for someone with autism? would they grasp the gestural cues of the magician? would they perhaps catch the "magic" as it is happening by mistake, the hand slipping into the pocket? Would magic be the same for someone with synesthesia, perhaps being more cognitively aware, associating colors or smells with movements? Is this even possible? This also links in with a theory of quantum mechanics "in which each of us shares a paternity in the creation of physical reality." therefor we , as individuals, create our own realities through perception. "The distinction between 'in here' and the 'out there'... is becoming blurred." (Gary Zukav) The magician nearly guides us through a set of actions, we create the magic.
It is true that the key to an illusionist's tricks is the misdirection of attention. But I believe that magicians are not the only one using these "tricks." Perhaps further studies could be made in order to find out why a group of people could be witnesses to the same event and yet, tell disparate versions of the same event or not even notice or remember things that other people witnesses might notice or remember.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think that we can be conditioned into not noticing things. If an image, for example, is constantly played in the background of, lets say, a television program, etc. we are watching and if this image is constantly played, we may become unconsciously conditioned to that image (never consciously taking note of its presence).
This sheds new light on the expression, being in the forest without seeing the trees.
This article made me wonder if there is something in our brains that is hardwired in such a way that limits our ultimate ability to tell what is real from what is illusion. It would be interesting if what they found in the study pointed toward some sort of evolutionary brain trait that allowed for this misperception. Anyways, I think it is fascinating that magic tricks are being used to study the brain, because on a somatosensory level, it is extremely relevant. It would be really neat to know what is going on in the brain upon experiencing a magic trick, a bent reality.
ReplyDeleteThis might be out of the range of the study, but what of the subconscious? The article mentions how different magic tricks stimulate different parts of the viewer's brain in order to be effective, but do the researchers study the more unconscious magic 'trick' of hypnotism? What (if anything) happens then?
ReplyDeleteI was curious about different brains reacting to magic tricks - like children who laugh and follow the trick and those who are natural skeptics and are always looking for the real trick... Interesting to pair magic w/neuroscience.
ReplyDeleteNow that autism and motor neurons are on my mind, would a magic trick be the same for someone with autism? would they grasp the gestural cues of the magician? would they perhaps catch the "magic" as it is happening by mistake, the hand slipping into the pocket? Would magic be the same for someone with synesthesia, perhaps being more cognitively aware, associating colors or smells with movements? Is this even possible? This also links in with a theory of quantum mechanics "in which each of us shares a paternity in the creation of physical reality." therefor we , as individuals, create our own realities through perception. "The distinction between 'in here' and the 'out there'... is becoming blurred." (Gary Zukav) The magician nearly guides us through a set of actions, we create the magic.
ReplyDelete