Wednesday, December 05, 2007

What?! I dont see it...

One thing i've noticed is that most people only ever see what they expect to. As long as you look honest and keep a straight face, you can convince people of almost anything. I once convinced a friend that I had never been to New Zealand... right after i had given him a souvenior from New Zealand. He believed me, simply because i kept a straight face. My question is: why do people only see what they expect to? Why do they never notice the things that are out of the norm unless they're pointed out to them?

5 comments:

Rebecca said...

Remember that our sense perception has a filter. We don't acknowledge everything at once; somethings we are aware, but others we just pass over. Generally our minds will only pay attention to the details that seem important at the time even though they are the ones decieving us, and it's the things we're ignoring that reveal the truth.

Rebecca said...

Remember that our sense perception has a filter. We don't acknowledge everything at once; somethings we are aware, but others we just pass over. Generally our minds will only pay attention to the details that seem important at the time even though they are the ones decieving us, and it's the things we're ignoring that reveal the truth.

katrina337 said...

Not all people are oblivious of such things. I generally watch people's body language very closely. People have other signs of saying they're lying than keeping a straight face or not. I don't always call people on it, but I generally observe things. Sociopathic and psychopathic straight-faced liars are generally harder to tell. But most people, I'm aware of it, because I make the conscious effort to.

I think people who have been greatly betrayed or just have more intune senses are more likely to pick up on more subtle things. I think there's a bit of nature, in that some people's personalities are just meant to notice such things, but I think a lot of it relies on conditioning. If we think we need to pick up on it, then we will. If we don't, then we won't. It depends on what we perceive as a threat to our safety. I think it's more of a basic survival instinct.

Dani said...

We cant process all of the stimuli coming in. Therefore, we believe (generally) the easiest story, even if its not very smart.
I'm really gullible, but thats because i trust my friends and people in general. (stupid, i know, but i do)
But also I get bored really really easily, so i notice a while bunch of stuff that most people don't (like at the trans siberian concert last night, have you ever noticed how much people twitch?!?!?! sheesh)

Anna said...

It seems like human nature to only focus on the good in people, as we will believe what our friends say in a heartbeat without doubting them, forgetting to look at the evidence that contradicts their words. The confirmation bias that resides in us only allows the eye to see and pick out what it wants to see, as opposed to viewing the whole picture.