“The illusion of normal”Dr Belinda Goodenough
Manager, Knowledge Translation ProgramDementia Collaborative Research Centres
in my familyNORMAL
is just a setting on the washing machine
Let’s do a test
“name this bird …”
“How normal is my brain?”
< start task >
budgie
flamingo
toucan
Hints:- not a parrot- not feathered
ANSWER:a woman
Johannes StötterItalian, 35, musician, & fine-art-Bodypainter
(that’s normal)
I know what to look for,
but I still see….
What is Johannes Stötter doing?
Stötter manipulates “thing/gap” boundary ...
brain has “rules” to separate figure from ground
Pillars or people?
…to create illusion of connected surface
examples from nature ...
Crypsisblend in with background
Principles of Camouflage
Mimesisresemble something not interesting
Principles of Camouflage
Buff Tip Moth
Motion moving pattern Dazzle (confuse boundaries, location, speed)
Principles of Camouflage
Principles of Camouflage
Principles of Camouflage
Camouflage – the normal illusion
works by (conf)using normal brain processes:
“automatic” visual perception needs effort, i.e. “attention”
From the laboratory
Let’s do a test
Can you find a blue circle? (yes/no)
< start task >
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
NO
< end task >
Camouflage – the normal illusion
• “pop-out effect” → target unique in some way• slow/errors when: target not unique
: more distractors to check• “YES” faster than “NO”
target = distractors =
everywhere & every day
Advertising = harnessing the “pop out” effect
everywhere & every day
everywhere & every day
Or is a person there?...
(secure dementia unit)
YOURbrain
Marvel …Enjoy …
Nurture …
Imagine a home
designedby
JohanneStötter !
Better Brain.Better Life.Better “Normal”…
One last Stötter challenge: How many people?....
(5)
