Word of the Day: pareidolia

[Ruthanne]

pareidolia​

noun​

par·ei·do·lia ˌper-ˌī-ˈdō-lē-ə
-ˈdōl-yə

the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern
The scientific explanation for some people is pareidolia, or the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness. Think of the Rorschach inkblot test.—Pamela Ferdinand

 

[Kaila]

Very interesting word, Ruthanne.

I hadn't heard of the term, but perhaps another example of  pareidolia

would be, the pictures that people see in the puffy clouds on summer afternoons.

And some people see faces, in lots of common household items such as perceiving smiles on the shapes on electric plug wall outlets.

There's an entertaining and funny SF thread, full of photos of such items, right?

 

[ohioboy]

When I look at the chickens in the coop, I see beautiful figures like Kaila and Ruth Anne.

 

[Kaila]

I dont think your experience that you cited, is related to the phenomenon being discussed, OhioBoy, or to any other humans in general, besides you.

 

[davey]

I have the gift and my forest offers me many experiences

 

[Ruthanne]

Very interesting word, Ruthanne.

I hadn't heard of the term, but perhaps another example of  pareidolia

would be, the pictures that people see in the puffy clouds on summer afternoons.

And some people see faces, in lots of common household items such as perceiving smiles on the shapes on electric plug wall outlets.

There's an entertaining and funny SF thread, full of photos of such items, right?

I don't know.

 

[davey]

here's an easy one - better to click on and enlarge - what can you see besides a tree?

 

[Ruthanne]

I used to lay in the grass and see various things in the cloud shapes. Once I saw the figure of Fidel Castro and I think that was pareidolia.

 

[davey]

it certainly was

 

[ohioboy]

here's an easy one - better to click on and enlarge - what can you see besides a tree?

A Slug.

 

[davey]

A Slug.

we all see different things - can you give coordinates for the slug - or cycle it??

 

[ohioboy]

we all see different things - can you give coordinates for the slug - or cycle it??

The 2 knotholes are the eyes and the big limb is the body. The little twig branch at the end is the tail.

 

[davey]

well if that is what you see so be it - mine is more personal and it relates to people in my past life - we all see different things with pareidolia. yes the two knotholes are eyes and the big limb the body - the twig for me is discarded and of no consequence. I can see an uncles face which is quite personal

 

[OneEyedDiva]

So if I draw a picture of a person I don't know, from my head is that pareidolia?

 

[davey]

I think that is something else but could be wrong? but pareidolia is essentially defined as the ability to see images from anything around us that take a shape and form but are not normally there in that way? Nature is often the conduit but our brains does the work of image development