The Fraser spiral illusion is an optical illusion that is characterized by the appearance of a spiral pattern made up of concentric circles.
The illusion is created by the placement of a series of curved lines that appear to be spiraling inwards, with the center of the spiral appearing to be moving.
However, the lines are actually straight and parallel to each other. . This illusion is often used to study the neural mechanisms of visual perception and how the brain interprets and organizes visual information. The Fraser spiral illusion is an example of how the visual system can be deceived by the perception of apparent motion in static images.
Table of Contents
- How does the Fraser Spiral Illusion work?
- Versions of the Fraser Spiral Illusion
- Illusions like the Fraser Spiral Illusion
- Discovery of the Fraser Spiral Illusion
- References and Resources
How does the Fraser Spiral Illusion work?
The Fraser spiral illusion works by exploiting the way the brain processes and interprets visual information, particularly the perception of motion.
The illusion is created by a series of straight lines that are arranged in a way that appears to be spiraling inwards.
brain interprets the curved lines as if they are spiraling because of the way the lines are arranged and the way they are perceived as moving.
The human brain’s visual system is wired to perceive patterns and shapes that are familiar to it, and is sensitive to changes in the orientation of lines and edges.
The Fraser Spiral Illusion takes advantage of this by providing a pattern where the straight lines are arranged at different angles, creating a sense of movement.
The illusion is reinforced by the gradual change in the direction of the lines, which creates the impression of a spiral pattern.
Additionally, the brain uses the context of the surrounding lines to interpret the direction of the lines, and the brain interprets the lines as spiraling inwards because of the way the lines are positioned in relation to each other.
The illusion is not just limited to the spiral pattern, but also the center of the spiral appears to be moving, this is caused by the way the brain interprets the relative position of the lines in relation to each other.
Version of the Fraser Spiral Illusion
The following are some alternate versions of the Fraser Spiral Illusion:
Illusions like the Fraser Spiral Illusion
The Fraser spiral illusion is a type of motion illusion, also known as a kinetic illusion. It is created by the interaction of straight lines that are arranged in a specific pattern, which creates the illusion of a spiral pattern moving inwards.
This illusion is a good example of how our visual system can be easily deceived by the combination of different visual cues, and how it can interpret them in a way that doesn’t match the physical reality. The Fraser spiral illusion is particularly interesting for scientists and researchers because it helps to understand how the brain processes and interprets visual information, specifically how it perceives motion and organizes visual information.
Some similar illusions are below:
The rotating snakes is a peripheral drift illusion that consists of a grid of shapes, with some of them appearing to be rotating or undulating. The illusion is created by the interaction of the shapes with the neural processing of the visual system.
The Moiré pattern illusion: This illusion is created by superimposing two similar patterns on top of each other, such as a grid of lines or circles. The resulting pattern appears to be moving or changing.
The Scintillating Grid Illusion, in which a grid of black and white squares appears to pulsate or “breathe” when viewed from the periphery of the image.
The Hermann Grid Illusion in which the intersections of a white grid on a black background appear to be gray, even though they are actually the same color as the background.
The Zöllner Illusion, in which parallel lines appear to be tilted or bent when intersected by diagonal lines.
The barber pole illusion is an optical illusion that is characterized by the appearance of a spiral pattern on a vertically striped pole.
The Bezold Effect: This illusion is created by placing two or more colors next to each other, and the way they appear to change when they are close to one another.
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.
Discovery of the Fraser Spiral Illusion
The illusion is named after the psychologist James Fraser who first described this illusion in 1908.
Sir James Fraser was a British psychologist who made important contributions to the field of perception and cognitive psychology.
He was born in 1854 and died in 1941. He is best known for his work on visual perception, particularly for his description of the Fraser spiral illusion in 1908.
Fraser studied at Cambridge University and later became a professor of psychology at University College London.
He made a significant contribution to the study of visual perception, and his work on the Fraser spiral illusion helped to establish the field of cognitive psychology, which focuses on how the brain processes and interprets information.
He also made contributions to other areas of psychology such as memory and attention. He was knighted in 1935 for his services to psychology.
References and Resources
Check out our complete list of illusions and this cool variant of the Fraser Spiral Illusion: Concentric Circles Illusion