Cognitive Bias and Pattern Seeking

[thinkandycohen]

Liked how Michael helped us see what we "want to see". Makes us aware of the assumptions that are driven by our biases and past experiences. Though getting a bit tired of seeing the monkey in these talks.

[yurianne07]

the human brain is wired to "see" patterns as well as faces in an attempt to make sense of the environment . this helps to facilitate survival in a hostile and competitive environment.

[Timsta1010]

like if I-A-B brought you here

[funky3ddy]

I dunno, gorilla was kinda obvious, I thought they added him simply to confuse us with the pass counting. Turns out, they had entirely different intent :)

[iBlindGame]

Although Shermer has a gig as being a "science authority," he doesn't think very scientifically at times. One has to wonder about him.

His views on this (or total ignorance of this) are interesting:

watch?v=iQdJuQLNFCk

[ScarfifyMadge]

I saw the gorilla when I first saw this video in a class of mine, but I just barely caught it. I thought I was going crazy until the teacher asked if the students saw the gorilla.

[Frozenyak]

i saw the gorilla, and counted 18 bounces... wtf is wrong with you ppl? :S

[DaKiNe113]

@Frozenyak u prob can multi task very easy at doing things i forgot what its called but alot of my friends have it

[truvelocity]

The human brain evolved to recognize patterns, and if a person see's patterns, they will see a face like people naming the constellations. If one listens to enough noise the brain will detect words, even when there is no intelligent source for them.

[brucewayneproduction]

yeah i didnt see it either freaking awesome... wonder why ted dt com stuff is on youtube just go to ted dt com

[JerrySinefield]

This is the dumbest ted talk i've seen. Why not just show the original video instead of a remake with a bunch of uncoordinated white kids?

[Anon1696]

For the passing video, they should have had a person on the black team be at the edge of the camera view to block the initial entrance of the apesuit guy.

This would keep him unnoticed from merely appearing.

[Anon1696]

Actually, they could have used anyone who was already passing to block the apesuit guy's entrance into the screen.

Also, if more players were there, the ape would be harder to see.

[kettlebugs]

I think the whole idea is that it ISN'T hard to see; it's obvious, but you're concentrating on something else so you don't even notice. Doing those things would probably be counterproductive to the point.

[Anon1696]

I typed out a whole thing and then browser crashed; shit.

Just search: "Test Your Awareness: Do The Test"

The entrance isn't obvious, but the existence of the extra person is obvious.

It's performed much better.

[kettlebugs]

I dunno, I feel it's counterintuitive to the point that you miss something obvious when you purposely intend to make it less obvious. The more obvious it is that another person has entered the frame, the stronger the point.

[Anon1696]

And the more people you fool on the first time, the more broadly the illusion can be used.

In the better version, the extra blocked for a SHORT period of time by a player you are supposed to be paying attention to.

When they edges of the screen are being neglected by the players and someone enters through the edge of the screen as done in this video, it looks so obvious.

[kettlebugs]

I didn't think so. I missed it completely until he said it.

[billygutter01]

Wow! That's an impressive demonstration.. I didn't see the gorilla?!

I even backed it up to rewatch the first time to be sure he wasn't fucking with me.

Sweet.

[HelenWynter]

LMAO

I did the same thing!!!

hahaha

[mdiana007]

hahahah i didn't even see that monkey man.. hahahahhahahahahahhaha

[NickaPleeze1]

i kno wtf lol

[TrustmeUK]

Brilliant, absolutely loved this. I was hook, line and sinkered by it and it serves as a great reminder to be more objective!

[mlbr23]

In the end he sucks up to Al Gore... Ugh...

[MRaverz]

@mlbr23 Just by mentioning Al Gore, you've shown a massive ignorance in relation to global warming and climate change.

[Arkydo]

stole the ape idea from british commercial

[darkduende]

I wonder if he's wearing that cowboy belt as a social experiment as well haha

[MuffinMaster31]

XD lol, thanks for informing me~

[Drunk322]

i counted 14

[Exterminator21]

Btw, I counted 18 passes.

[chickenwing747]

"We're programmed by evolution". What the heck does that mean? What are we a bunch of robots that have no control over ourselves? That's ridiculous

[Exterminator21]

Don't be an idiot. Instincts are also directly caused by evolution.

[esotericalex25]

That is maybe the dumbest thing i have ever read on youtube. And thats saying something

[hpn0t1q]

oh of course, you are very right

because saying we are programmed by evolution is absurd, but saying we are programmed by God makes total sense

haha.

[than217]

Michael Shermer is a bad ass

[blahtoausername]

Derren Brown showed a few examples of this at his live show Mind Reader, and evening of wonders. Actually, he did a live interpretation of this.

[zisurs]

very interesting!

[ericcartman888]

lol, is the original video with the ape on youtube?

[MrFacet]

A similar one and more are on dothetest co uk.

[russell6clacks]

older than the internet, chum.

[CorporalShephard]

im sad cuz sum1 told me about that test, i rly wanted to try it out but... not any more

Nice vid btw

[MrFacet]

Then try the others on dothetest co uk.

[George6747]

Patterns and distractions

[gabrielepro]

Done, 16