There have been many greats earning the Ig Nobel prizes over the years. Probably my favorite is "Gorillas in Our Midst" because it is not only funny but gives such an interesting insight into human perception.

The general conclusion of the experiment is that people who are concentrating on something will overlook seeing something totally unexpected even though it is right in front of them. That's really something to think about. On the one hand one can see the value of stepping back from an issue for a fresh look, and also the implication for thinking "outside the box". On the other hand it should make one think twice about not believing something because one hasn't seen it with one's own eyes. Were you looking? And contrariwise, if one learns to look for something one can see surprising things.

The experiment itself, in a nutshell, was people observing a group of students throwing around a basketball trying to count the throws. A girl in a Gorilla suit walked across the screen, but was not even noticed.
Source(s):
http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~cfc/Simons1999.pdf

Asker's Rating:

Permalink | Report