Why Visual Illusions Occur Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What is a visual illusion?

A visual illusion is when what you think you see does not match what is really there.

What four main reasons does AQA give for why visual illusions occur?

Ambiguity, misinterpreted depth cues, fiction, and size constancy.

What is an ambiguous figure and how does it cause an illusion?

It is a picture that can be seen in more than one way. Your brain can switch between views, so you cannot settle on one correct image.

How does figure-ground confusion create an illusion?

Your brain must choose what is the main shape (figure) and what is background (ground). When the cues are equal, it flips, so you see two different images.

What are misinterpreted depth cues?

They are clues in a flat picture, like lines that seem to meet or patterns that get smaller, that suggest depth. The brain treats them as real depth and misjudges size or distance.

What is size constancy?

It is seeing an object as the same actual size even when it is nearer or further away. Its image on the eye gets bigger or smaller, but your perception stays constant.

How can size constancy lead to a visual illusion?

If a picture makes one object look further away, your brain keeps its size 'constant' by making it seem bigger. On the page the objects are equal, but the 'far' one looks bigger.

What is 'fiction' in visual illusions?

It is when you see lines, shapes or colours that are not actually there. The brain fills in gaps and adds edges that are not drawn.

How can relative size and context cause an illusion?

Your brain uses nearby objects as a size guide. A shape can look bigger or smaller depending on what surrounds it, even when it is the same size.

Why do visual illusions still work even when you know the trick?

Because the brain uses fast, automatic rules for size and depth. Knowing the trick does not switch them off, so the wrong look keeps popping up.

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