8 Things that Distort Our Perception

Some people only believe what they see with their own eyes, and this is true to some extent. Our eyes certainly allow us to perceive our surroundings, helping us navigate the world around us. However, it has become clear that perception is much more complex than that.

According to the new book Perception: How Our Bodies Shape Our Minds by psychologists Dennis Proffitt and Drake Baer from the University of Virginia: "What we perceive at any moment is not determined solely by sensory information, but also by our personal bodily abilities, energy levels, emotions, social identities, and more."

The authors write: "It is logical to believe that we experience the world as objective, and despite our naive conceptions that we see the world as it is, we do not." Our perception is not only influenced by unconscious processes, as Profitt and Baer's book is filled with fascinating research findings that challenge the judgments and decisions we make based on what we imagine and also the things we imagine. Things that appear real and comprehensive often result from our unique experience of the world.

Understanding this is especially helpful in the current times when we are grappling with a deadly pandemic and drowning in political and social disruptions. If we comprehend the non-trivial factors that influence what we see and think, we might find ways to overcome these influences and make better decisions as a society.

Profitt and Baer write, "If we want a better understanding of ourselves and the people around us, we need to appreciate everyone's individual experience, and that means being humble."

8 important messages from Profitt and Baer's book

1. Our energy and abilities influence our perspectives

Many studies conducted by Profitt and others show that our bodies and movement abilities influence how we perceive the world around us. For example, researchers found that if you are overweight or fatigued, the distances you walk may appear farther than they actually are to you. Similarly, individuals wearing heavy backpacks perceive the path ahead as steeper than those who aren't wearing backpacks.

Profitt and Baer write, "Our walking abilities influence the clarity of the path in front of us and thus determine how we see the path. You don't see the path as it truly is; you see it as you imagine it. If you are carrying a tool that extends your reach, things also appear closer to you. In sports, successful baseball players see larger balls coming toward them from the pitcher, and skilled golfers see larger holes when they putt.

We can observe this phenomenon in young children as well. For this reason, in one experiment, fear was evident in crawling infants when they were lowered off a simulated cliff edge. However, infants who had not yet started crawling did not display this fear; they didn't perceive the situation as frightening. As long as they were incapable of crawling, they wouldn't feel anxious about slopes.

2. Our body perception influences our decisions

In one experiment, researchers conducted a study on individuals who had to make rapid decisions about stock trading under high pressure. They discovered that those who could accurately perceive their heartbeats without physically touching their bodies were the most successful.

However, individuals who were more confident in their accurate perception were not necessarily more successful. The greater the gap between their confidence and the accuracy of their calculations, the more anxious they became. This suggests that actual body perception can be beneficial in high-pressure situations, where you are subjected to intense stress.

Although the exact reason remains uncertain, it's possible that individuals who are more aware of their heartbeats are better equipped to calm themselves when feeling stressed, allowing them to make sound decisions. Alternatively, the most successful individuals who are in tune with their bodies might interpret their perceptions more accurately, understanding how the two factors interact with each other. In both cases, these results justify an increased body awareness.

3. Feeling hungry changes our choices

Energy levels in our bodies also influence decision-making. In one experiment, participants who consumed a sugar-containing drink made better decisions and delayed immediate gratification for a longer period compared to individuals who consumed a glucose-free sweet-tasting drink.

Similarly, when judges make decisions about parole before lunch break or at the end of their day, they tend to be more inclined to deny parole. This is because such decisions require more careful consideration and, consequently, more energy.

Studies have also found that individuals who enjoyed drinking a large glass of sweetened lemonade tend to be more inclined to help others. Additionally, children who have breakfast perform well in school and exhibit fewer behavioral issues.

"The way you think is infinitely connected to how you feel physically," write the authors of the book. Therefore, it's important to ensure that we - or others we rely on - are not overly depleted when needing to make tough decisions.

4. Easy to read phrases appear more accurate

Our beliefs about the world around us also depend on seemingly unimportant influences. In one experiment, when researchers asked participants to determine the accuracy of certain information written in different colors, participants agreed that easily readable information was more accurate and truthful than its more difficult-to-read counterpart. The same applies to statements presented in a rhyming form; they appeared more truthful to them.

These claims can be easily refuted if pointed out to people, yet these forces operate beneath conscious awareness, deceiving us about the ease of believing something or recalling it from memory.

"Our penchant for fluency makes us susceptible to bullshit—if it feels right, it is right—and when that vulnerability is scaled up to the level of media, you get truthiness and fake news,” the authors write

5. Our emotions influence our political views

It's not surprising that our emotions influence our perceptions and thoughts. However, the influence holds some surprises. In one of the studies mentioned in the book, researchers found that individuals who easily feel disgust when imagining things like a trash bin full of worms or a piece of moldy chocolate cake tend to be more politically conservative in their opinions. They also tend to harbor stronger negative feelings toward individuals who support the freedoms they reject.

These emotions, such as disgust, arising from our brain's amygdala and often operating beneath conscious awareness, steer our reactions and evaluations, making them less neutral.

Both Profitt and Baer states, "Emotions enable us to perceive good and evil in a world full of them. These emotions may seem unwelcome, but they are in fact of our own making, possessing the wisdom and fluctuations associated with the brain's oldest and most fundamental structures."

6. Feeling bad makes things seem very difficult

People who experience sadness or depression know that facing the world can be incredibly challenging when feeling disheartened. However, it's important to note that these emotions also alter our sensory perception. For instance, individuals who listen to sad music tend to believe that life is more unjust compared to those who listen to cheerful music.

Both Profitt and Baer wrote: “Emotions grant you the ability to approach or avoid matters, individuals, and situations, and to construct perception accordingly.” This means that enhancing our positive emotions might help us handle difficult tasks with greater ease. This idea is supported by at least some research.

7. Having people around you makes things seem easy

The presence of people around us also influences our perception of challenging situations. Holding someone's hand during a painful event can alleviate the pain, and carrying a heavy load with someone else can make it seem lighter and easier. Simply, thinking about a friend can make life feel happier.

Our social relationships seem to play a role in reducing feelings of stress, and this might explain why interacting with others alters our sense of pain or difficulty, making them more bearable. These studies and others highlight the importance of our social relationships in our ability to adapt when things get tough.

8. Our political beliefs influence our mathematical skills

How our affiliations, like political parties we belong to, can influence our perceptions is exemplified in a study. People were asked to solve mathematical equations to verify a research result, such as checking whether a vaccine was effective or if gun control saved lives. As expected, individuals with high mathematical skills were more capable of easily deducing correct answers, aligning with their political beliefs.

Conversely, when the scenario was reversed, and the mathematical abilities of everyone were weaker. They solved the problem correctly at a rate ranging from 25% to 45%, a lower percentage than usual.

This contradicts the idea that people need more information to discern the truth of a situation. The authors wrote: 'Thinking—even when involving a calculation— is not a process that occurs spontaneously; it is an integral part of our personal thoughts and collective identities. We become flustered, surprised, and unable to fully utilize our abilities when faced with facts that challenge our social identity.

In Conclusion

Reading this article should make us humble. It's evident that many subconscious forces influence our perceptions, thoughts, and decisions. Nonetheless, errors abound. Recognizing these influences can prevent us from making costly mistakes or unnecessary conflicts with others who see things differently. The ultimate benefit of this article is our hope that a little humility might help us be less arrogant and more open to alternative viewpoints.