Muller-Lyer Illusion in Psychology

Illusion

• Our perceptions are always not correct. Sometimes we cannot correctly interpret sensory information. That is why actual stimuli and its perception differ. The incorrect perception due to incorrect interpretation of information received through sensory organs is termed as illusion. For e.g. while walking in a dark room, we hit across a rope and may perceive that rope as a snake. This is an illusion s we interpret ‘rope” as ‘snake’.

Muller-Lyer Illusion

• Muller-Lyer Illusion is an example of illusion which is shown in the figure given below. The length of both the lines is equal. One line is arrowheaded and other line is feather-headed. Although both lines are equal in length then also people tend to perceive feather-headed line lengthier than arrow-headed line. Now it is clear that incorrect perception of an object is called illusion.

Activity –

• All students of your class can sit together and do the experiment of “Muller Lyer ’. Draw feather-headed line and arrow-headed line in your copy. Perceive these lines and tell which line appears lengthier.

Important Points

• The initial experience of a stimulus or an object by our specialized sensory organs is called sensation. The branch of Psychology that studies the relation between the stimuli and the sensations they produce is termed as Psychophysics.
• Person’s internal and external both types of factors influence attention.
• When any stimulus is present before a person, he gets its sensation through his sense organs. When this stimulus is interpreted to understand what the stimulus is, this is known as perception.
• Principle of similarity, Principle of proximity, Principle of continuity, Principle of surroundedness and Principle of closure are all principles of perceptual organization.
• The interpretation of information received through incorrect perception due to incorrect sensory organs is termed as illusion .

Latest Post of Psychology :– Click Here

Sensation , Attention & Perception in Psychology FAQ –

1. Which of the following is not an external sensory organ?
A. Nose
B. Skin
C. Ears
D. Kinesthetic
2. Who is not a Gestalt Psychologist?
A. Kohler
B. Koffka
C. Watson
D. Wertheimer
3. The initial information received through body’s sensory organs is known as:
A. perception
B. sensation
C. cognition
D. adaptation
4. ‘We have a tendency to fill in the gaps in the stimulus. Which principle of perceptual organization is this?
A. continuity
B. proximity
C. closure
D. similarity