Reverse Spokes Illusion

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In this Reverse Spokes Illusion, the wheel is presented as a series of black and white alternating segments.

In realty, the spokes never move, but the changing hues make it appear that they do.

This illusion uses the the principles of apparent motion. If you are interested in reading more about how this Reverse Spokes Illusion works, scroll down to learn more about it.

Reverse Spokes Illusions


Table of Contents

What is the Reverse Spokes Illusion?

In the Reverse Spokes Illusion, the wheel is presented as a series of black and white alternating segments, with each segment containing a single spoke that is slanted in the same direction as the rotation of the wheel.

This illusions demonstrations of the power of visual illusions to deceive our perception of reality. The illusion is often used as a visual demonstration of how our brains can be tricked into perceiving motion in a way that is different from the actual physical movement of an object.

How does the Reverse Spokes Illusion Work?

The Reverse Spokes Illusion works using the principles of apparent motion. Apparent motion is a perceptual phenomenon in which stationary objects appear to move due to the presentation of rapidly alternating images or stimuli. This illusion of motion is created when two or more images are presented in quick succession, with each image slightly different from the previous one.

For example, the classic example of apparent motion is the phi phenomenon, which occurs when two or more stationary lights are presented in a sequence, with each light turning on and off in a pattern. Even though the lights are not moving, they appear to be moving back and forth in a smooth motion, creating the illusion of motion.

Apparent motion is a fundamental phenomenon in the field of visual perception, and it is used in various applications, such as animation, film, and advertising. The study of apparent motion has contributed to our understanding of how the brain processes visual information and how it creates the perception of motion from static images.

Some Similar Illusions

There are several illusions that are similar to the Reverse Spokes Illusion in that they create the perception of motion where there is none. Here are a few examples:

  1. Motion aftereffect: This is an illusion in which a stationary object appears to be moving in the opposite direction of a previously viewed moving object. It occurs because the neurons in the visual system that respond to motion become fatigued after prolonged exposure to a moving stimulus, causing them to respond less to the motion and creating the perception of motion in the opposite direction.
  2. Autokinetic effect: This is an illusion in which a stationary point of light appears to move randomly in the dark. It occurs because the visual system relies on contextual information to determine motion and direction, but in the absence of external cues, the brain creates its own movement signals.
  3. Rotating snakes illusion: This is an illusion in which a static image of a series of interconnected circles appears to be rotating, pulsating, or expanding. It occurs because the arrangement of the circles creates a pattern that stimulates the visual system and triggers a response that is similar to the response to actual motion.
  4. Barberpole illusion: This is an illusion in which a striped pattern appears to be moving in a certain direction, even though the stripes themselves are stationary. It occurs because the pattern of diagonal stripes creates an ambiguous motion signal that can be interpreted in different ways by the visual system.

These illusions, like apparent motion, demonstrate the complex and often surprising ways in which our brains process and interpret visual information.

Discovery of the Reverse Spokes Illusion

The Reverse Spokes Illusion uses the phenomenon of apparent motion which was first discovered and studied by Max Wertheimer, a German psychologist who is known as one of the founders of Gestalt psychology. In 1912, Wertheimer conducted a series of experiments on the perception of motion, in which he presented subjects with a series of flashing lights in a certain pattern, and found that they perceived the lights as moving in a smooth, continuous motion.

Wertheimer called this phenomenon “phi phenomenon,” after the Greek letter phi, which is used to represent the ratio of two quantities that produce a pattern of motion. The phi phenomenon became one of the foundational discoveries of Gestalt psychology, which sought to understand how the mind organizes and interprets sensory information into meaningful patterns.

Since Wertheimer’s discovery, the study of apparent motion has been a major area of research in the field of visual perception, and has led to important insights into the way the brain processes motion and form information.


References and Resources

Check out our complete list of illusions.