Your Age Affects How You See Optical Illusions – What Do You See When You Look At This Illusion?

Cynthia McKanzie – MessageToEagle.com – “My Wife and My Mother-in-Law”, also known as the Boring Figure is one of the most well-known optical illusions in the world.

This classic optical illusion has captivated many people. It depicts both a young woman looking away and an old lady’s profile. A recent study conducted by at Flinders University in Australia reveals that our age affect how we see optical illusions.

According to the study, whether you see a young or older woman first, depends on your age. People between 18 and 30 tended to see the young woman first, whereas people over 30 first spotted the older woman.

“My Wife and My Mother-in-Law.” Wikimedia Commons

In their science paper, published by Nature, the researchers write that the “results demonstrated that younger and older participants estimated the age of the image as younger and older, respectively. This own-age effect ties in with socio-cultural practices, which are less inclusive towards the elderly.

See also:

Bizarre Strange-Face Illusion – A Scientific Mystery

What You See Is Not Real – It’s A Visual Illusion – Scientists Say

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Participants were not aware the study was related to ageing and the stimulus was shown briefly. The results therefore demonstrate that high-level social group processes have a subconscious effect on the early stages of face processing. A neural feedback model is used to explain this interaction.”

As Business Insider reports, “the point of the study was to determine if “own-age biases affect the initial interpretation of an image at a subconscious level.” But even if you see the older lady first, just remember: You’re as young as you feel.”

Written by Cynthia McKanzie – MessageToEagle.com Staff Writer