TED2004
Al Seckel: Visual illusions that show how we (mis)think
阿尔·塞克尔：人脑是纠结的
Filmed:
Readability: 3.6
2,460,814 views
阿尔·塞克尔是一个认知神经学家，他探索愚弄我们头脑的感知幻象。很多障眼术帮助他证明我们不仅容易被愚弄，而且一定程度上我们喜欢这些障眼术。
Al Seckel - Master of visual illusions
Al Seckel explored how eye tricks can reveal the way the brain processes visual information -- or fails to do so. Among his other accomplishments: He co-created the Darwin Fish. Full bio
Al Seckel explored how eye tricks can reveal the way the brain processes visual information -- or fails to do so. Among his other accomplishments: He co-created the Darwin Fish. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:25
We're going to talk -- my -- a new lecture, just
0
0
1000
我今天的演讲
00:26
for TED -- and I'm going show you some illusions
1
1000
3000
是特别为TED准备的
00:29
that we've created for TED, and I'm going to try
2
4000
2000
我会展示一些特别为TED制作的幻象
00:32
to relate this to happiness. What I was thinking
3
7000
2000
并将试着把这些幻象和幸福相关联
00:34
about with happiness is, what gives happiness --
4
9000
3000
我曾想幸福是什么，什么给人幸福
00:37
or happiness, which I equate with joy in my
5
12000
4000
幸福对我来说等同于快乐
00:41
particular area, and I think there's something very
6
16000
2000
我想这其中有些根本的东西
00:43
fundamental. And I was thinking about this. And
7
18000
3000
我曾经考虑过这个问题
00:47
it's in terms of both illusions and movies that we
8
22000
4000
幸福是我们对于所见的幻象、电影
00:51
go see and jokes and magic shows is that there's
9
26000
4000
笑话、魔术表演的期望
00:55
something about these things where our
10
30000
2000
被一种令人愉快的
00:57
expectations are violated in some sort of pleasing
11
32000
4000
方式所违背了
01:01
way. You go see a movie. And it has an unexpected
12
36000
3000
你去看电影的时候，电影里有些意外的转折
01:04
twist -- something that you didn't expect -- and
13
39000
3000
一些你没有意料到的－－从而
01:07
you find a joyful experience. You look at those
14
42000
3000
你有了一段快乐的经历。你在我的书里
01:10
sort of illusions in my book and it's not as what
15
45000
3000
看见这类出乎你意料的幻象
01:13
you'd expect. And there's something joyful about
16
48000
2000
其中蕴含着快乐
01:15
it. And it's the same thing with jokes and all
17
50000
3000
这与笑话这类事物是
01:18
these sorts of things. So, what I'm going to try
18
53000
3000
同一类东西。所以，我在演讲中将试着
01:21
and do in my lecture is go a little bit further
19
56000
2000
更进一步
01:24
and see if I can violate your expectations in a
20
59000
3000
看看我能否以令人愉快的方式违背你的期望
01:27
pleasing way. I mean, sometimes expectations that
21
62000
3000
我是说，有时期望被冒犯
01:30
are violated are not pleasant, but I'm going to try
22
65000
2000
并不愉快，但是我将试着
01:32
to do it in a pleasant way, in a very primal way,
23
67000
2000
以愉快的方式做这事儿，以非常简单的方式
01:35
so I can make the audience here happy.
24
70000
2000
让在座各位感到快乐
01:37
So I'm going to show you some ways that we can
25
72000
3000
我将给你展示一些冒犯你的期望的
01:40
violate your expectations. First of all, I want to
26
75000
3000
的方式。首先，我想要
01:43
show you the particular illusion here. I want you
27
78000
3000
在这里演示特别的幻象。首先
01:46
first of all when it pops up on the screen to
28
81000
3000
当屏幕上弹出窗口的时候
01:49
notice that the two holes are perpendicular to
29
84000
2000
请注意两个孔是相互垂直的
01:51
each other. These are all perceptual tricks. These
30
86000
4000
这些都是知觉幻象
01:55
are real objects that I'm going to show you. Now
31
90000
11000
这些是我将给你们演示的真实物件
02:06
I'm going to show you how it is done. I've looped
32
101000
2000
现在，我将演示这是怎么做到的。我这里制作
02:09
the film here so you can get a very interesting
33
104000
2000
了一个影片，你可以有一个有趣的
02:11
experience. I want you to see how this illusion is
34
106000
3000
体验。我给你看到这个幻觉是怎么
02:14
constructed, and it's going to rotate so you see
35
109000
3000
构造的，物件旋转，你就可以看到这是一个
02:17
that it's inside out. Now watch, as it rotates
36
112000
3000
自内而外的东西。现在请看，当它转到背面
02:20
back, how quickly your perception snaps. OK now.
37
115000
5000
你的知觉转换是多快。好了，现在
02:26
Watch it as it rotates back again. And this is a very
38
121000
2000
请再次看它旋转的背面。这是一个
02:29
bright audience, all right? See if you can stop it
39
124000
2000
明显的事实，对吧？请看你能否从一开始停止
02:32
from happening, even though you know 100 percent it's
40
127000
3000
你的想法，即使你百分百确定这是
02:35
true that -- bam! You can't undo it. What does
41
130000
5000
真的。碰！你做不到。这说明了
02:40
that tell you about yourselves? We're going to do
42
135000
4000
些什么？我们再做一次
02:44
it again. No doubt about it. See if you can stop
43
139000
3000
别怀疑它，看你能否不让
02:47
it from happening. No. It's difficult.
44
142000
4000
这想法产生？不行，这很难
02:54
And we can violate your expectations in a whole
45
149000
3000
我们可以在所有关于表述、形状
02:57
variety of ways about representation, about shape,
46
152000
3000
颜色等等不同的方面
03:00
about color and so forth and it's very primal. And
47
155000
3000
违背你的期望，都是很基本的
03:03
it's an interesting question to ponder, why these
48
158000
2000
这是一个值得考虑的有趣的问题
03:06
things -- we find these things joyful. Why would
49
161000
4000
我们为什么发现
03:10
we find them joyful? So, here's something that
50
165000
2000
这些事是快乐的
03:13
Lionel did a while ago. I like these sort of
51
168000
2000
这是Lionel不久前做过的
03:15
little things like this.
52
170000
1000
我喜欢这样的小把戏
03:19
Again, this is not an optical trick. This is what
53
174000
3000
重申一遍，这不是一个光学上的欺骗
03:22
you would see. In other words, it's not a camera
54
177000
19000
这是你会看到的。换句话说
03:42
cut. It's a perceptual trick.
55
197000
2000
它不是一个摄像的截取片段，而是一个知觉上的错觉
03:55
OK. We can violate your expectations about
56
210000
2000
好的。我可以在形状上
03:57
shape.
57
212000
1000
违背你的期望
04:16
We can violate your expectations on representation
58
231000
3000
我还可以在图画中违背你的期望
04:20
-- what an image represents. What do you see here?
59
235000
3000
你看到了什么？
04:25
How many of you here see dolphins? Raise your hand
60
240000
7000
你们中有谁看到了海豚？请举起手
04:32
if you see dolphins. OK, those people who raised
61
247000
4000
好的，有些人举手了
04:36
their hands, afterwards, the rest of the audience,
62
251000
2000
那么剩余的观众
04:38
go talk to them, all right? Actually, this is the
63
253000
4000
去和他们聊一下，可以吗？
04:42
best example of priming by experience that I know.
64
257000
4000
事实上，这是我知道依凭经验产生错觉的最好的例子
04:46
If you are a child under the age of 10 who
65
261000
3000
如果你是一个不到十岁的
04:50
haven't been ruined yet, you will look at this
66
265000
3000
天真烂漫的小孩
04:53
image and see dolphins. Now, some of you adults
67
268000
4000
你将会在图画中看到海豚
04:57
here are saying, "What dolphins? What dolphins?"
68
272000
2000
现在，在座的有些大人就会开始问：“哪儿有海豚？”
04:59
But in fact, if you reversed the figure ground --
69
274000
3000
但实际上，如果你对调一下图画的底色
05:02
in other words, the dark areas here -- I forgot to
70
277000
2000
换句话说，黑色的部分--我忘记要一只激光笔了-
05:05
ask for a pointer -- but if you reverse it, you'll
71
280000
2000
如果你对调一下
05:07
see a whole series of little dolphins. By the way,
72
282000
3000
你将会看到一组小海豚
05:10
if you're also a student at CalTech -- they also
73
285000
2000
同时，如果你也是一名加州理工的学生
05:13
tend to just see the dolphins. It's based on
74
288000
3000
--他们也可能只能看到海豚
05:16
experience.
75
291000
2000
这是基于经验的
05:20
Now, something like this can be used because this
76
295000
3000
现在，一些类似的技巧有了应用价值
05:23
is after all talk about design, too. This was
77
298000
2000
因为这毕竟也是讨论设计的
05:25
done by Saatchi and Saatchi, and they actually got
78
300000
3000
这是由Saatchi和Saatchi完成的
05:28
away with this ad in Australia. So, if you look at
79
303000
3000
他们在澳大利亚用这个广告侥幸成功了
05:31
this ad for beer, all those people are in sort of
80
306000
4000
所以如果你看到这个创意为啤酒做广告
05:36
provocative positions. But they got it passed, and
81
311000
3000
所有那些人都有几分挑衅的姿态
05:39
actually won the Clio awards, so it's funny how you can do
82
314000
4000
但是它成功了，他们赢得了克里奥广告奖
05:43
these things.
83
318000
1000
所以做这些事是很有趣的
05:44
Remember that sort of, um. This is the joke I did
84
319000
6000
这是佛罗里达州进行投票的时候
05:52
when the Florida ballot was going around. You
85
327000
4000
我做的一个笑话
05:56
know, count the dots for Gore; count the dots for
86
331000
2000
数一下戈尔的得票，再数一下布什的
05:58
Bush; count 'em again ...
87
333000
1000
然后再数一遍
06:03
You can violate your expectations about
88
338000
3000
你会得到违背基于经验的预期结果
06:06
experience. Here is an outside water fountain that
89
341000
6000
这是我和朋友们制作的
06:13
I created with some friends of mine, but you can
90
348000
2000
一个室外喷泉
06:15
stop the water in drops and -- actually make all
91
350000
3000
你可以使水以水滴的方式静止- 事实上, 是让所有的
06:18
the drops levitate. This is something we're
92
353000
6000
水滴悬浮起来. 这是我们为
06:24
building for, you know, amusement parks and that
93
359000
2000
游乐园一类的地方设计的
06:26
kind of stuff.
94
361000
1000
东西
06:27
Now let's take a static image. Can you see this?
95
362000
4000
现在让我们看一个静态图像，看到了吗？
06:31
Do you see the middle section moving down and the
96
366000
3000
你看到中间的部分在向下运动
06:34
outer sections moving up? It's completely static.
97
369000
2000
而外边的部分在向上运动吗？事实上它是静止的
06:38
It's a static image. How many people see this
98
373000
2000
它是静止的，多少人产生了这个错觉?
06:40
illusion? It's completely static.
99
375000
4000
它是静止的
06:46
Right. Now, when -- it's interesting that when we
100
381000
3000
好的，我们看一张图片颜色, 深度和质地的时候
06:49
look at an image we see, you know, color, depth,
101
384000
3000
是很有趣的
06:53
texture. And you can look at this whole scene and
102
388000
3000
你可以看看这个屏幕
06:56
analyze it. You can see the woman is in closer than
103
391000
3000
分析一下，你可以看到那个女人比墙要
06:59
the wall and so forth. But the whole thing is
104
394000
2000
更近些等等，但是事实上
07:01
actually flat. It's painted. It's trompe l'oeil.
105
396000
4000
所有的都是平的，它是图画，它是错觉画
07:06
And it was such a good trompe l'oeil that people
106
401000
2000
这是一张很好的错觉画，以至于
07:08
got irritated when they tried to talk to the
107
403000
2000
一些人在和那个女人谈话而得不到她的回应时
07:10
woman and she wouldn't respond.
108
405000
2000
变得恼怒
07:15
Now, you can make design mistakes. Like this
109
410000
4000
现在，你可以设计错误了
07:19
building in New York. So that when you see it from
110
414000
5000
就像这个在纽约的建筑，你从这一边看它
07:25
this side, it looks like the balconies tilt up,
111
420000
3000
阳台看起来是向上倾斜的
07:28
and when you walk around to the other side it
112
423000
2000
而当你从另一边看的时候
07:30
looks like the balconies go down. So there are
113
425000
4000
又像是向下倾斜的
07:35
cases where you have mistakes in design that
114
430000
2000
这是一个在设计中蕴含视觉错觉的
07:37
incorporate illusions.
115
432000
1000
例子
07:38
Or, you take this particular un-retouched
116
433000
3000
或者, 看看这张没有被修饰过的
07:41
photograph. Now, interestingly enough, I get a lot
117
436000
7000
照片. 很有趣的是
07:49
of emails from people who say, "Is there any
118
444000
2000
我收到和很多email，问我
07:51
perceptual difference between males and females?"
119
446000
4000
“男性和女性之间有没有知觉上的区别？”
07:56
And I really say, "No." I mean, women can navigate
120
451000
2000
我的回答是否定的。我的意思是女人可以和男人一样
07:58
through the world just as well as males can -- and
121
453000
3000
在这个世界上生存
08:01
why wouldn't they? However, this is the one
122
456000
2000
为什么她们不能呢? 不过, 对于这个视错觉
08:03
illusion that women can consistently do better
123
458000
3000
女性肯定比男性更容易辨别
08:06
than males: in matching which head because they
124
461000
3000
这个人头是属于谁的
08:09
rely on fashion cues. They can match the hat.
125
464000
3000
因为她们对时尚更敏感- 她们可以由帽子来确定
08:15
Okay, now getting to a part -- I want to show
126
470000
2000
现在我想展示一些
08:17
design in illusions. I believe that the first
127
472000
3000
设计中的视错觉. 我认为第一个有意
08:20
example of illusions being used purposely was by
128
475000
5000
运用视错觉的例子是
08:25
da Vinci in this anamorphic image of an eye. So
129
480000
5000
达芬奇的一幅眼睛变形的作品
08:31
that when you saw from one little angle was like
130
486000
2000
所以当你取一个小角度看的时候图像是这样的
08:34
this. And this little technique got popular in the
131
489000
3000
这个技巧在
08:37
16th century and the 17th century to disguise
132
492000
3000
16和17世纪流行于伪装隐含意义
08:40
hidden meanings, where you could flip the image and
133
495000
3000
稍微调转图像
08:43
see it from one little point of view like this.
134
498000
4000
从另一个角度去看它
08:48
But these are early incorporations of illusions
135
503000
2000
这些技巧的早期运用
08:51
brought to -- sort of high point with Hans
136
506000
2000
成为Hans Holbein的画作"使者"的
08:53
Holbein's "Ambassadors." And Hans Holbein worked
137
508000
3000
一个热点. Hans Holbein效劳于亨利八世.
08:56
for Henry VIII. This was hung on a wall where you
138
511000
4000
这幅画挂在楼梯边的墙上, 当你
09:00
could walk down from the stair and you can see
139
515000
2000
走下楼梯的时候你可以看到隐藏的
09:02
this hidden skull.
140
517000
1000
骷髅头
09:06
All right, now I'm going to show you some
141
521000
1000
好, 现在我要给你们介绍
09:09
designers who work with illusions to give that
142
524000
2000
一些运用视错觉创造惊喜的
09:11
element of surprise. One of my favorites is Scott
143
526000
3000
设计师. Scott Kim是我最喜欢的设计师之一.
09:14
Kim. I worked with Scott to create some illusions
144
529000
4000
我和他一起
09:18
for TED that I hope you will enjoy. We have one
145
533000
5000
为TED设计了一些视错觉, 希望你喜欢.
09:23
here on TED and happiness.
146
538000
3000
这里有一张关于TED和幸福的
09:41
OK now. Arthur [Ganson] hasn't talked yet, but his is
147
556000
3000
Arthur Ganson还没有在这里做过演讲
09:44
going to be a delightful talk and he has some of
148
559000
3000
他的演讲会很有趣, 而且他有
09:47
his really fantastic machines outside. And so, we
149
562000
6000
一些非常有趣的模型
09:54
-- Scott created this wonderful tribute to Arthur
150
569000
3000
所以我和scott为Arthur Ganson设计了一份
09:57
Ganson.
151
572000
1000
很棒的礼物
10:09
Well, there's analog and digital. Thought that
152
584000
8000
这个是"近义词"和"数码", 我觉得
10:17
was appropriate here.
153
592000
1000
这张图片挺适合这里
10:23
And figure goes to ground.
154
598000
2000
另一张是"肖像"隐藏到底色里
10:38
And for the musicians.
155
613000
1000
这张给音乐家
10:59
And of course, since happiness -- we want "joy to the
156
634000
2000
当然, 对于幸福, 我们希望" 把快乐带给
11:01
world."
157
636000
1000
世界"
11:11
Now, another great designer -- he's very well
158
646000
2000
另一个在日本非常出名的设计师
11:13
known in Japan -- Shigeo Fukuda. And he just
159
648000
5000
是Shigeo Fukuda. 他设计了一些
11:18
builds some fantastic things. This is simply
160
653000
2000
奇妙的东西, 非常有趣
11:20
amazing. This is a pile of junk that when you view
161
655000
7000
这里是一堆垃圾
11:27
it from one particular angle, you see its
162
662000
9000
取一个特定的角度去看
11:36
reflection in the mirror as a perfect piano.
163
671000
2000
你会发现它在镜子里的像是一架钢琴
11:54
Pianist transforms to violinist.
164
689000
10000
钢琴家变成小提琴家
12:07
This is really wild. This assemblage of forks,
165
702000
5000
这个真的很棒. 这个刀叉匙
12:13
knives and spoons and various cutlery, welded
166
708000
3000
以及各种餐具的组合能产生一个轮廓像
12:16
together. It gives a shadow of a motorcycle. You learn
167
711000
12000
摩托车的影子
12:29
something in the sort of thing that I do, which
168
724000
2000
现在你们知道我所做的事儿了
12:32
is there are people out there with a lot of time
169
727000
1000
有些人闲着没事就喜欢
12:34
on their hands.
170
729000
1000
瞎折腾
12:39
Ken Knowlton does wonderful composite images, like
171
734000
5000
Ken Knowlton很擅长合成图像
12:45
creating Jacques Cousteau out of seashells --
172
740000
2000
比如用贝壳做一个法国水兵库斯托
12:47
un-retouched seashells, but just by rearranging
173
742000
2000
没有修饰过的贝壳, 只是重新排列一下
12:49
them. He did Einstein out of dice because, after
174
744000
4000
他用骰子做了一个Einstein, 谁让Einstein
12:53
all, Einstein said, "God does not play dice with
175
748000
3000
说"上帝是不玩骰子的"
12:56
the universe." Bert Herzog out of un-retouched
176
751000
4000
键盘里的Bert Herzog
13:01
keyboards. Will Shortz, crossword puzzle. John
177
756000
5000
字谜游戏里的Will Shortz
13:06
Cederquist does these wonderful trompe l'oeil
178
761000
3000
John Cederquist 做了这些很棒的有视错觉效果的
13:10
cabinets.
179
765000
1000
橱柜
13:12
Now, I'm going to skip ahead since I'm sort of running
180
767000
2000
因为时间有点紧, 有些东西我就省略不讲了
13:14
[behind]. I want to show you quickly what I've
181
769000
2000
我想给你们看一下我自己设计的一些东西
13:17
created, some new type of illusions. I've done
182
772000
5000
一些新的视错觉体验
13:22
something with taking the Pixar-type illusions. So
183
777000
4000
我做了一些皮克斯式的视错觉图像
13:26
you see these kids the same size here, running
184
781000
4000
这两个孩子是一样大的
13:30
down the hall. The two table tops of the same size.
185
785000
3000
正在跑过走廊. 两张桌子是一样的尺寸
13:33
They're looking out two directions at once. You
186
788000
4000
他们正在同时朝不同的方向望去
13:37
have a larger piece fitting in with a smaller. And
187
792000
7000
这张里大件放进小件里
13:44
that's something for you to think about, all
188
799000
2000
这张是留给你思考的, 好吗?
13:46
right? So you see larger pieces fitting in within
189
801000
2000
你可以看到大的融进
13:48
smaller pieces here. Does everyone see that? Which
190
803000
4000
小的. 每个人都看到了吧?
13:52
is impossible. You can see the two kids are
191
807000
5000
这是不可能的. 你可以看到这两个孩子
13:57
looking out simultaneously out of two different
192
812000
2000
同时面朝两个不同
13:59
directions at once. Now can you believe these two
193
814000
6000
方向. 现在你可以相信这两个桌面
14:06
table tops are the same size and shape? They are.
194
821000
4000
是一样的尺寸了吗? 它们的确是
14:10
So, if you measured them, they would be. And as I say,
195
825000
6000
如果你量一下, 你会发现它们一样大
14:16
those two figures are identical in size and shape.
196
831000
3000
正如我所说过的, 它们在形状和尺寸上都是一样的
14:22
And it's interesting, by doing this in this sort
197
837000
4000
通过这种方式来展示
14:26
of rendered fashion, how much stronger the
198
841000
3000
视觉错觉是很有趣的
14:29
illusions are. Any case, I hope this has brought
199
844000
2000
无论怎样, 我希望这些都让你觉得
14:31
you a little joy and happiness, and if you're
200
846000
2000
快乐和幸福. 如果你想看到更多
14:33
interested in seeing more cool effects, see me
201
848000
3000
有趣的东西, 我就在外边
14:36
outside. I'd be happy to show you lots of things.
202
851000
2000
我会很乐意给你看更多有趣的东西的
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Al Seckel - Master of visual illusionsAl Seckel explored how eye tricks can reveal the way the brain processes visual information -- or fails to do so. Among his other accomplishments: He co-created the Darwin Fish.
Why you should listen
Al Seckel took great delight in visual illusions and the brain mechanics that they reveal. The author of many books and articles, he also designed interactive museum exhibits around the world that allow visitors to play with illusions and understand how they work.
A noted lecturer, he was a member of the Edge Foundation, a founder of the Southern California Skeptics, a campaigner against the teaching of creationism in public schools -- and co-creator of the Darwin Fish. Seckel died in 2015. Watch his 2010 talk from TEDxUSC: "[Y]Our Mind's Eye" >>
Note: A previous version of this biography described Seckel as a "cognitive neuroscientist," which was not accurate.
Al Seckel | Speaker | TED.com