Collection of sources from the Internet about optical, acoustical, and cognitive illusions

Compiled by
Joachim Hasebrook, Bankakademie (1999)

General brain functions

A good, funny, and easy introduction to the main brain functions can be found at:
http://www.funbrain.com

More detailed information about the structure and neurobiology of the brain can be accessed via:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Sensation and Perception

A general overview of human sensation and perception is provided at:
http://www.hhmi.org/senses/

This site is also an excellent design example for Web-based learning environments and should therefore be reviewed by all students carefully.

Optical Illusions

In what follows, there is a list of different optical illusions which are fun to check out. Moreover, each student should check the sites for explanations why and how certain illusions emerge from the visual system.

One of the most comprehensive site is:
http://www.grand-illusions.com/

A specific illusion concerning movement:
http://dogfeathers.com/java/spirals.html

Yet another collection of optical illusions:
http://web.inter.nl.net/hcc/Hans.Kuiper/optillus.htm

Optical illusions for escpecially made for kids and an interesting example for learning sources which can be used by parents and their kids:
http://familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,24-8964,00.html

Pay a visit at the ophtalmological museum at:
http://www.eyenet.org/public/museum/discover.html

Cognitive Illusions

A lecture about human memory lists some popular "cognitive illusions":
http://psych.psy.uq.edu.au/CogPsych/ic210/memorylecture/index.htm

The last site proposed here is a lecture about the judgement of probabilities – one of the most popular research field about "cognitive illusions":
http://www.csr.city.ac.uk/people/norman.fenton/bbns/Details/subjective_prob.html

Now, you are equipped with all the neccessary knowledge to solve the following puzzle:
Look at the two faces below. They are almost symmetrical. Which face looks more friendly – left or right?

This example has been introduced by the psychologist Julian Jaynes to show a basic function of the two brain hemispheres: About 90% of the right handed persons consider the right face to be more friendly, about 60% of the left handed persons prefer the left face. What is your judgement – and why?