Have you ever looked at the picture and have you seen two completely different things? If so, you have experienced an optical illusion – a visual puzzle where what you see is not always what is really there.
One of the most famous examples in the above picture is Rubin Vas, where your brain will overturn between vision of vases or two faces in the profile. But this is just one of the many illusions that reveal how our mind works.
What are optical illusions?
Optical illusions are images that cheat the brain. They make us perceive something that does not correspond to real physical reality. These illusions occur, because our brains are constantly trying to interpret what our eyes see – and sometimes guess badly or turn between the same valid options.
Illusion of Rubin Vas: Faces or Vase?
The Rubin Vase – also known as the illusion of the character – Earth – was created by Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin in 1915. At first glance it looks like a black vase. But when moving in the focus, you can instead see two white faces that look at each other.
Twist? At the same time, you do not see both vase and faces. This is because your brain has to choose: what is the “character” (the main object) and what is the “ground” (background). This visual back and back is a classic example of how we assign the depth and meaning to images.
Why don’t we see both pictures at once?
Your brain is a master when filtering visual information – but can focus only on one interpretation at a time. If we could process more versions of reality at once, it would be stunning and confusing. Instead, the brain chooses the dominant version and ignores the rest – until it switches.
This process is called perceptual bistability. It helps to simplify what you see, by separating the “character” from the “country”. When the outlines and shapes are ambiguous, your brain must “choose” what makes the most sense – and sometimes it changes his mind.
Why are optical illusions important?
These illusions are not only fun – they are scientifically valuable. Help scientists:
- Understand how the brain processes depth, shape and movement.
- Improve computer vision and AI systems.
- Design better user interfaces, warning marks and visual art.
- Diagnose neurological conditions where perception breaks down.
Frequent
What exactly is the rubin vase?
It is a black and white image that can be interpreted in two ways: either as a central vase (picture) or as two side profiles of face looking at each other (Earth).
Why can’t we see both the vase and the faces at the same time?
The reason is perceptual bistability – the brain can focus only on one interpretation of the image at once. They have to decide what the “character” is and what the “background” is.
Who created Rubin’s vase?
The illusion was created by Edgar Rubin, a Danish psychologist and phenomenologist, as part of his work on visual perception.
What is the perception of the character?
The perception of the plot of the picture indicates the ability of the brain to distinguish the main object (picture) from its background (Earth). The Rubin vase is used to illustrate how these roles can reverse depending on what the viewer focuses on.
Is the Rubin vase used in modern research?
Yes. They are still referred to in cognitive psychology, neuroscience and even visual recognition systems AI to study how organisms or machines process complex visual data.
What does this illusion tell us about the human brain?
It shows that perception is not passive. Our brains actively interpret sensory input, fill gaps, switching focus and sometimes introduce us to context and expectations.
How is it used outside psychology?
Rubin’s ligaments were influenced by the design of logo, art and advertising, where the conversion of the character is used to create distinctive visuals and metaphors. It is also used in education to teach perception and cognitive flexibility.
(Tagstotranslate) optical illusion
