Kanizsa's triangle

Kanizsa's triangle is an optical illusion in which the viewer observes an equilateral triangle that is not present. This is an optical illusion presented by Italian psychologist Gaetano Kanizsa in 1955. The illusion is of great simplicity, but, as always happens with optical illusions, nothing is what it seems, and the doors that opens the Kanizsa triangle are much more amazing.

Content

• Kanizsa's triangle
• Kanizsa's triangle in the light of science
• What can we deduce?
  • Bibliography

Kanizsa's triangle

Kanizsa's triangle is the favorite visual illusion of many, because, You usually see a triangle that does not exist, And not only does it exist, but, in addition to seeing something non -existent, that, "without a place in reality", presents a white color more intense than the tone of the space that surrounds it.

In spite.

Perhaps one of the many contributions of optical illusions to the scientific field has been to demonstrate or conclude the discussion between rationalism and empiricism, then, Our senses are not always reliable and our mind can also make erroneous interpretations.

In this aspect, perception plays a crucial role, as well as it is important.

The fact of seeing the Kanizsa triangle It obeys, in this case, for the purposes produced by the so -called illusory subjective contour, in which we see that the non -existent geometric figure presents a brighter tone than the next area, but, in reality the background has the same shine.

It has been considered that the regions responsible for perceiving this phenomenon are the V1 V2, which would participate creating these contours.

Kanizsa's triangle in the light of science

Visual illusions, far from being a simple entertainment, have become a very useful source of stimuli that allow studying the neuronal bases of perception. These neuronal bases are responsible for making an interpretation of the world, taking for it the innate mechanisms that the visual system possesses.

A clear example of this is that In the natural world, objects are visualized partially and not, But, the resource of illusory contours throws lights into science to understand how the visual system can build surfaces, especially when the edges of these are not seen.

According to a study by Jacques Ninio, in which it analyzes contrast illusions, the author points out that the brain has the ability to establish borders and that juxtaposition in the tones is what allows such borders to be perceived. So, We can all see objects with sharp edges, when many times they are not present. However, among the fundamental functions of visual perception, there is the power to appreciate the contour of an object, and from there deducting what its form is.

Previously, the philosopher and physical Ernst Mach had proposed that the mechanism responsible for this was lateral inhibition, A phenomenon that takes place in the eye retina, after a cell inhibits or prevents the activity of the nearest cell. In any case, the subjective contours, that is, captured by man, but that do not exist, arise when there are contrast areas marked in objects and their function is to show that there are coincidences at the geometric level.

The mentioned author, Ninio, also explains what happens in natural environments and mentions the example of animals. To exemplify even more, you can mention The case of a partially hidden animal Because of vegetation. Given this scenario, we would only be seeing fragments of said animal, but, unconsciously, our visual system and the brain are making assemblies of the observed parts to try to formulate a hypothesis about the same.

For the psychologist Kanizsa, who also elaborated other works of optical illusions in order to prove his theories, what was described about the animal, would have two possible explanations. On the one hand, The mental reconstruction of geometric shapes would occur due to modal compliance, or by amodal compliance. In the case of modal compliance, the surface is perceived as if it were really physically present. But, in the situation of the amodal compliance, the surface does not exist, but is only imagining.

What can we deduce?

From all the described above we can deduce that our visual system makes interpretations of the information you are receiving and our brain works actively to make a hypothesis of what it is in front.

However, beyond theorizing about it, we can also simply enjoy this "error" or phenomenon in the visual structure, because, There are numerous works of art that are wonderful and play with tones.

One of these examples is that of the Madeleine à la Veilleuse, or the Magdalena in Media Luz, created by the French painter Georges de la Tour, in the seventeenth century. In this work we can appreciate an environment in which different luminances predominate and causes viewers to perceive intense or darkening clarities quite deep.

Isn't everything that our brain can do amazing? Visual illusions, such as the Kanizsa triangle is just an example of this.

Know the most incredible optical illusions

Bibliography

• I Massó, to. G. (2009). The brain as a machine to learn, remember and forget. Arbor, 185(736), 451-469.
• Ninio, j. (1998). The science des illusions. Odile Jacob.
• Ninio, j. (2012). Contrast illusions. Mind and brain. Notebooks.
• Morgado, i. (2015). THE FACTORY OF ILLUSIONS. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta.
• Vélez, J. D., & Vélez, A. (2015). Eye and vision: a possible origin of cross -linking in optical chiasma. Magazine of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, 39, 38-47.