Geometric Illusions

The Leaning Tower Illusion is an optical illusion that involves the perception of the tilt angle of a tower or building.

In this illusion, although the images are duplicates, one has the impression that the tower on the right leans more, as if photographed from a different angle.

Table of Contents

• How does the Leaning Tower Illusion work?
• Versions of the Leaning Tower Illusion
• Illusions like the Leaning Tower Illusion
• Discovery of the Leaning Tower Illusion
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does the Leaning Tower Illusion work?

The Leaning Tower Illusion is thought to be caused by the way the brain processes the visual information it receives.

The brain uses information from various cues, such as the relative size and orientation of objects in the scene, to determine the perspective and depth of the objects.

The Leaning Tower Illusion is a well-known example of how the brain’s interpretation of visual information can be influenced by context and how our perception of the world can be influenced by the way the brain processes information.

It continues to be widely studied and used as a demonstration of the power of optical illusions and the role of context in shaping our perception of the world.

Versions of the Leaning Tower Illusion

The following is a version of the Leaning Tower Illusion with Big Ben:

Illusions like the Leaning Tower Illusion

Leaning Tower Illusion is an optical illusion that manipulates the viewer’s perception of depth, scale, and distance.

The brain’s perception of size is influenced by depth cues such as perspective and accommodation, leading to an incorrect assessment of the object’s size.

This type of illusion is created through the use of visual cues, such as size, position, and relative proportions, that trick the brain into perceiving the scene in a certain way.

Some similar illusions are as follows:

Forced perspective is a technique used in photography, architecture, and other visual arts to manipulate the perception of the size and distance of objects.

It creates the illusion of a larger or smaller object, or of one that is closer or farther away, by carefully controlling the angles, proportions, and placement of objects in the scene.

The Ponzo illusion is a type of visual illusion in which a pair of parallel lines, or a horizontal bar, appear to be of different lengths based on the presence of a converging or diverging set of lines, often resembling the converging parallel lines of a road or railway track, placed above and below them.

The Ebbinghaus illusion: This illusion is similar to the Delboeuf illusion but in this case the central circle appears larger when surrounded by smaller circles and smaller when surrounded by larger circles.

The Delboeuf illusion is a perceptual illusion in which the perceived size of a circle is affected by the size of the surrounding circles.

The Occlusion illusion is a visual illusion where an object that is partially obscured by another object appears to be farther away than it actually is. This illusion is caused by the brain’s interpretation of the relative depth of the objects based on their relative size and position. This phenomenon is based on the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive depth, such as relative size, position, and overlap.

The Müller-Lyer illusion is a classic example of size-contrast illusion, in which two lines of equal length appear to be different due to the presence of arrowheads or fins at the end of the lines.

The moon illusions involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky.

The Kanizsa triangle is a visual illusion that was first described by the Italian psychologist Gaetano Kanizsa in 1955. The illusion consists of a white equilateral triangle that appears to be surrounded by three Pac-Man-like shapes, which are black and have white crescents facing inwards.

All these illusions demonstrate that the perceived size of an object can be influenced by the context in which it is presented, and that the brain uses the size of the surrounding objects as a reference point to judge the size of the central object.

Discovery of the Leaning Tower of Pisa Illusion

No single individual is credited with the discovery of this illusion of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

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Forced perspective is a technique used in photography, architecture, and other visual arts to manipulate the perception of the size and distance of objects.

It creates the illusion of a larger or smaller object, or of one that is closer or farther away, by carefully controlling the angles, proportions, and placement of objects in the scene.

Table of Contents

• How does the Forced Perspective work?
• Versions of the Forced Perspective
• Illusions like the Forced Perspective
• Discovery of the Forced Perspective
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does Forced Perspective work?

Forced perspective works by using optical illusions to manipulate the viewer’s perception of depth, scale, and distance.

This is achieved by playing with the relative sizes and positions of objects in a scene, and by using techniques like converging lines, foreshortening, and atmospheric perspective.

For example, a building designed in forced perspective may appear to be taller than it actually is, by gradually reducing the size of its features as they extend upward.

This trick of the eye is accomplished by making the upper part of the building smaller in proportion to the lower part, while maintaining the same perspective lines.

Our brain relies on past experiences and knowledge to make sense of the visual information, and in this case, the context of the converging lines creates an expectation of depth and distance, which in turn affects perception.

Versions of the Forced Perspective

The following are some examples of Forced Perspective

Illusions like the Forced Perspective

Forced perspective is an optical illusion that manipulates the viewer’s perception of depth, scale, and distance.

It creates the illusion of a larger or smaller object, or of one that is closer or farther away, by carefully controlling the angles, proportions, and placement of objects in the scene.

This type of illusion is created through the use of visual cues, such as size, position, and relative proportions, that trick the brain into perceiving the scene in a certain way. The effect of forced perspective can be quite convincing, making it seem as if objects are actually different sizes or distances than they are in reality.

Some similar illusions are as follows:

The Ponzo illusion is a type of visual illusion in which a pair of parallel lines, or a horizontal bar, appear to be of different lengths based on the presence of a converging or diverging set of lines, often resembling the converging parallel lines of a road or railway track, placed above and below them.

The Ebbinghaus illusion: This illusion is similar to the Delboeuf illusion but in this case the central circle appears larger when surrounded by smaller circles and smaller when surrounded by larger circles.

The Delboeuf illusion is a perceptual illusion in which the perceived size of a circle is affected by the size of the surrounding circles.

The Occlusion illusion is a visual illusion where an object that is partially obscured by another object appears to be farther away than it actually is. This illusion is caused by the brain’s interpretation of the relative depth of the objects based on their relative size and position. This phenomenon is based on the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive depth, such as relative size, position, and overlap.

The Müller-Lyer illusion is a classic example of size-contrast illusion, in which two lines of equal length appear to be different due to the presence of arrowheads or fins at the end of the lines.

The moon illusions involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky.

The Kanizsa triangle is a visual illusion that was first described by the Italian psychologist Gaetano Kanizsa in 1955. The illusion consists of a white equilateral triangle that appears to be surrounded by three Pac-Man-like shapes, which are black and have white crescents facing inwards.

All these illusions demonstrate that the perceived size of an object can be influenced by the context in which it is presented, and that the brain uses the size of the surrounding objects as a reference point to judge the size of the central object.

Discovery of the Forced Perspective

Forced perspective is a technique that has been used for thousands of years in various forms of art, architecture, and visual storytelling.

As such, it is not credited to a single person or time period. The earliest known examples of forced perspective date back to ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture, where columns and other architectural elements were designed to create the illusion of greater height or size.

Over time, the use of forced perspective has evolved and expanded, with artists and architects in many different cultures and time periods incorporating it into their work in different ways.

It is a technique that continues to be used today in many forms of art and media.

References and Resources

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The Ames Window (or trapezoid) is a flat object that seems to be a rectangular window but is actually a trapezoid.

The illusion is created by manipulating the perspective through the use of angles.

The image below shows the Ames Window, but scroll down to the alternate versions and the video to see this amazing illusion in action.

Table of Contents

• How does the Ames Window illusion work?
• Versions of the Ames Window Illusion
• Illusions like the Ames Window Illusion
• Discovery of the Ames Window Illusion
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does the Ames Window Illusion work?

The Ames Window is a type of illusion known as a perspective illusion, which is a visual illusion that occurs when the perceived size, shape, or position of an object is different from its actual size, shape, or position, due to the way that the eyes and brain process visual information.

Perspective illusions are created by manipulating the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive depth, such as the relative size and position of objects, the angle of the lines and edges, and the amount of light and shadow.

The Ames Window is a specific type of perspective illusion that uses the manipulation of perspective to create the illusion.

Versions of the Ames Window Illusion

The following are some alternate versions of the Ames Window Illusion:

Illusions like the Ames Window Illusion

There are many other visual perception illusions that work in similar ways to the Ames Window illusion. Some examples include:

The Ames Room illusion is a visual illusion in which a room appears distorted, causing people or objects within it to appear differently sized.

The Müller-Lyer illusion is a visual perception illusion that consists of two lines of equal length, with arrows at each end pointing either inward or outward. The line with the inward-pointing arrows appears shorter than the line with the outward-pointing arrows, even though they are actually the same length.

The Poggendorff illusion: This illusion is similar to the Müller-Lyer illusion, but instead of arrowheads, it uses a diagonal line that intersects two parallel lines. The brain perceives the diagonal line as being tilted, causing the parallel lines to appear as if they are not parallel.

The Ebbinghaus illusion: This illusion involves circles of different sizes, but with the same-sized circles placed close to each other. The brain perceives the smaller circles as being larger when they are placed next to larger circles.

The T illusion: This illusion involves a T-shaped figure with a horizontal bar and a vertical bar. The brain perceives the vertical bar as being longer than the horizontal bar, even though they are the same length.

The Kanizsa triangle: This illusion is created by placing Pac-Man-like shapes around an invisible triangle. The brain perceives the triangle as if it were a real, visible triangle.

The Zöllner illusion: This illusion involves parallel lines with diagonal lines intersecting them. The brain perceives the lines as if they were not parallel and that the diagonal lines are converging.

Moon illusion: This illusion involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky.

Ponzo illusion: This illusion involves the perception of an object appearing larger or smaller depending on the size of the surrounding context.

The Café Wall Illusion is a visual illusion that is created by a grid of alternating light and dark horizontal and vertical lines. The lines appear to be bent or tilted, even though they are actually straight.

All these illusions are based on the brain’s perception of visual context, depth cues, and grouping rules. These illusions help to understand how the brain interprets visual information and how it can be deceived.

Discovery of the Ames Window Illusion

The illusion was first described by American psychologist Adelbert Ames Jr. in 1947, and is often used in research on visual perception and optical illusions.

Ames was a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and later at Harvard University.

He was known for his research on visual perception, optical illusions, and the role of the visual system in the perception of motion.

Ames was also known for his work on the psychology of perception in relation to art and design.

He published several papers and articles on the Ames Room illusion and its implications for understanding the visual system.

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The Ames Room illusion is a visual illusion in which a room appears distorted, causing people or objects within it to appear differently sized.

The illusion is created by manipulating the perspective of the room through the use of angled walls and a skewed ceiling, which causes the viewer’s perception of depth and size to be altered.

Table of Contents

• How does the Ames Room illusion work?
• Versions of the Ames Room Illusion
• Illusions like the Ames Room Illusion
• Discovery of the Ames Room Illusion
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does the Ames Room Illusion work?

The Ames Room illusion works by manipulating the perspective of the room in such a way that the viewer’s perception of depth and size is altered.

This is achieved by building the room with angled walls and a skewed ceiling, which causes the room to appear distorted.

The illusion is created by making one corner of the room appear closer to the viewer than the other, while keeping the size of the room constant.

This causes the objects or people within the room to appear differently sized, as the closer corner appears larger and the farther corner appears smaller.

The illusion is enhanced by placing a person or object in each corner and having them move, it will appear as if one is bigger than the other, even though they are the same size.

The illusion is so convincing that it can be difficult to believe that the room is not actually distorted, and it is often used in research on visual perception and optical illusions.

Versions of the Ames Room Illusion

The following are some alternate versions of the Ames Room Illusion:

Illusions like the Ames Room Illusion

he Ames Room is a type of illusion known as a perspective illusion, which is a visual illusion that occurs when the perceived size, shape, or position of an object is different from its actual size, shape, or position, due to the way that the eyes and brain process visual information.

Perspective illusions are created by manipulating the visual cues that the brain uses to perceive depth, such as the relative size and position of objects, the angle of the lines and edges, and the amount of light and shadow.

The Ames Room is a specific type of perspective illusion that uses the manipulation of the room’s perspective to create the illusion of differently sized people or objects within it.

The illusion is so convincing that it can be difficult to believe that the room is not actually distorted.

There are many other visual perception illusions that work in similar ways to the Ames Room illusion. Some examples include:

The Müller-Lyer illusion is a visual perception illusion that consists of two lines of equal length, with arrows at each end pointing either inward or outward. The line with the inward-pointing arrows appears shorter than the line with the outward-pointing arrows, even though they are actually the same length.

The Poggendorff illusion: This illusion is similar to the Müller-Lyer illusion, but instead of arrowheads, it uses a diagonal line that intersects two parallel lines. The brain perceives the diagonal line as being tilted, causing the parallel lines to appear as if they are not parallel.

The Ebbinghaus illusion: This illusion involves circles of different sizes, but with the same-sized circles placed close to each other. The brain perceives the smaller circles as being larger when they are placed next to larger circles.

The T illusion: This illusion involves a T-shaped figure with a horizontal bar and a vertical bar. The brain perceives the vertical bar as being longer than the horizontal bar, even though they are the same length.

The Kanizsa triangle: This illusion is created by placing Pac-Man-like shapes around an invisible triangle. The brain perceives the triangle as if it were a real, visible triangle.

The Zöllner illusion: This illusion involves parallel lines with diagonal lines intersecting them. The brain perceives the lines as if they were not parallel and that the diagonal lines are converging.

Moon illusion: This illusion involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky.

Ponzo illusion: This illusion involves the perception of an object appearing larger or smaller depending on the size of the surrounding context.

The Café Wall Illusion is a visual illusion that is created by a grid of alternating light and dark horizontal and vertical lines. The lines appear to be bent or tilted, even though they are actually straight.

All these illusions are based on the brain’s perception of visual context, depth cues, and grouping rules. These illusions help to understand how the brain interprets visual information and how it can be deceived.

Discovery of the Ames Room Illusion

The illusion was first described by American psychologist Adelbert Ames Jr. in the 1950s, and is often used in research on visual perception and optical illusions.

Ames was a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and later at Harvard University.

He was known for his research on visual perception, optical illusions, and the role of the visual system in the perception of motion.

Ames was also known for his work on the psychology of perception in relation to art and design.

He published several papers and articles on the Ames Room illusion and its implications for understanding the visual system.

References and Resources

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In the Sander Illusion, the diagonal line on the left appears to be considerably longer than the diagonal line on the right, but the lines are the same length.

Table of Contents

• How does the Sander Illusion work?
• Versions of the Sander Illusion
• Illusions like the Sander Illusion
• Discovery of the Sander Illusion
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does the Sander Illusion work?

The Sander illusion works by exploiting the brain’s tendency to interpret the visual information it receives in the context of other visual information.

This illusion is thought to be caused by the visual system’s use of depth cues, such as the size and angle of the lines

The perception of depth and distance are affected by the context of the arrowheads, which fool the visual system into perceiving the lines as if they were in different distances and therefore different sizes.

Another explanation of the illusion is based on the concept of “Gestalt grouping” where the brain organizes different elements in a scene into groups based on certain rules such as proximity, similarity, and continuity. The triangles in the Sander illusion creates a sense of continuation and proximity between the lines and the triangleswhich leads to the perception of the lines as being different in length.

Versions of the Sander Illusion

The following are some alternate versions of the Sander Illusion:

Illusions like the Sander Illusion

There are many other visual perception illusions that work in similar ways to the Sander illusion. Some examples include:

The Müller-Lyer illusion is a visual perception illusion that consists of two lines of equal length, with arrows at each end pointing either inward or outward. The line with the inward-pointing arrows appears shorter than the line with the outward-pointing arrows, even though they are actually the same length.

The Poggendorff illusion: This illusion is similar to the Müller-Lyer illusion, but instead of arrowheads, it uses a diagonal line that intersects two parallel lines. The brain perceives the diagonal line as being tilted, causing the parallel lines to appear as if they are not parallel.

The Ebbinghaus illusion: This illusion involves circles of different sizes, but with the same-sized circles placed close to each other. The brain perceives the smaller circles as being larger when they are placed next to larger circles.

The T illusion: This illusion involves a T-shaped figure with a horizontal bar and a vertical bar. The brain perceives the vertical bar as being longer than the horizontal bar, even though they are the same length.

The Kanizsa triangle: This illusion is created by placing Pac-Man-like shapes around an invisible triangle. The brain perceives the triangle as if it were a real, visible triangle.

The Zöllner illusion: This illusion involves parallel lines with diagonal lines intersecting them. The brain perceives the lines as if they were not parallel and that the diagonal lines are converging.

Moon illusion: This illusion involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky.

Ponzo illusion: This illusion involves the perception of an object appearing larger or smaller depending on the size of the surrounding context.

The Café Wall Illusion is a visual illusion that is created by a grid of alternating light and dark horizontal and vertical lines. The lines appear to be bent or tilted, even though they are actually straight.

All these illusions are based on the brain’s perception of visual context, depth cues, and grouping rules. These illusions help to understand how the brain interprets visual information and how it can be deceived.

Discovery of the Sander Illusion

The illusion is named after German psychologist Friedrich Sander who described the illusion in 1926. However, the illusion was published earlier by Matthew Luckiesh.

Matthew Luckiesh was an American engineer and scientist who made significant contributions to the fields of lighting and optical engineering.

He was born in 1883 and died in 1967. He is known for his work on visual perception and the development of advanced lighting techniques, including the “daylight lamp” and the “sun lamp.”

He also wrote several books on the subject of light and vision, including “Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization” and “The Science of Light.”

Luckiesh was a leading expert in his field and was considered one of the most important figures in the development of modern lighting technology.

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The Jastrow illusion is created by two identical shapes, usually circles, placed side by side, and one appears to be much larger.

The illusion is that the one circle appears to be much larger than the other, but in realty, the shapes are the same size.

Table of Contents

• How does the Jastrow Illusion work?
• Versions of the Jastrow Illusion
• Illusions like the Jastrow Illusion
• Discovery of the Jastrow Illusion
• References and Resources
• Sign up for emails from Mental Bomb

How does the Jastrow Illusion work?

The Jastrow illusion works by the way the brain processes the relationship between the two circles.

One theory of why this happens is that the brain tries to find a relationship between the two circles, and when it sees that one is larger than the other, it automatically assumes that the larger circle is farther away and the smaller circle is closer. Because the brain perceives objects that are farther away as being smaller and objects that are closer as being larger, it overcompensates and perceives the larger circle as much larger than it actually is, and the smaller circle as much smaller than it actually is.

Another theory is that the brain is sensitive to the relative size of objects and relies on relative size to infer distance, which is known as size-distance illusion. When the two circles are placed side by side, the relative size of the circles can be used by the brain to infer depth and distance, and this leads to the illusion.

Additionally, the Jastrow illusion is also related to the concept of surround suppression, which is the phenomenon that the visual system is more sensitive to the stimuli in the center of the visual field, than at the periphery. The brain is more sensitive to the stimuli in the center and suppresses the stimuli in the periphery, leading to an illusion of size difference.

It’s worth noting that the Jastrow illusion is not a unique property of human vision, many animals have this ability as well.

Versions of the Jastrow Illusion

The following shows Jastrow Illusion in action:

Illusions like the Jastrow Illusion

The Jastrow illusion is a type of size illusion, also known as a relative size illusion. It is created by placing two identical shapes, usually circles, that are slightly different in size side by side and connecting them with a line.

This illusion is caused by the way the brain processes the relationship between the two shapes, and it is a result of the brain’s tendency to use relative size as a cue for distance and depth perception.

The following are some illusions similar to the Jastrow Illusion:

The Cafe Wall Illusion is a geometric optical illusion that is created by the alignment of parallel lines in a checkerboard pattern. The parallel lines appear to be tilted or slanted, even though they are actually straight.

The occlusion illusion is a perceptual phenomenon in which the presence or absence of an object can affect the perception of another object.

The moon illusion involves the perception of the Moon appearing larger when it is near the horizon compared to when it is high in the sky. The illusion is an optical illusion and is caused by the way the human brain perceives size and distance.

The Zöllner illusion is a visual illusion in which parallel lines appear to be angled due to the presence of intersecting lines.

The illusion is often used to study the brain’s perception of shape and spatial relationships. It is considered one of the most powerful and striking examples of a geometrical-optical illusion. The perception of the illusion can be explained by the brain’s tendency to group lines together based on their similarity in direction and spacing, which can lead to an overestimation of the angle between the parallel lines.

The Müller-Lyer illusion: This illusion involves lines with arrowheads at the ends, which can make a line appear longer or shorter depending on the direction of the arrowheads.

The Poggendorff illusion is a visual illusion in which the brain perceives a diagonal line as being interrupted by an object, even though the line is actually continuous. The illusion is created by the misalignment of two parallel lines that are intersected by a third line at a certain angle.

The Ebbinghaus illusion (also known as Titchener circles) is a perceptual illusion in which the perceived size of a central circle is affected by the size of the surrounding circles. The central circle appears smaller when surrounded by larger circles, and larger when surrounded by smaller circles.

The Wundt illusion is an optical illusion produces an inversed effect compared to the Hering Illusion. The vertical lines are both straight, but they may look as if they are curved inwards.

Discovery of the Jastrow Illusion

The Jastrow illusion is a visual illusion that was first described by the psychologist Joseph Jastrow in 1889.

Joseph Jastrow was an American psychologist and author.

He was born in 1863 in Poland and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child.

He received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and later taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at Brown University.

Jastrow made significant contributions to the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of perception and cognitive psychology.

He is best known for his work on visual illusions, including the Jastrow illusion which is named after him. Jastrow died in 1944.

References and Resources

Check out our complete list of illusions.

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