How Your Brain Tricks You Into Thinking Magic Is Real
Magic tricks or illusions make us scream “ooh”, “ahhh” and “how the hell did they do that ?!” It’s part sleight of hand, part planning, and a lot of brain confusion. Your brain is a liar.
In the video above from the Wired YouTube channel, magician David Kwong and author of the book Spellbound reveals the “7 Principles of Illusion.” These principles turn simple sleight of hand into a mind-blowing magic trick:
- Remember the gap : Your brain uses shortcuts and makes assumptions to help process the incomplete visual data it receives, or what is known as amodal completion .
- Write the script : Sorcerers want you to believe in what you see, so they give you specific verbal information or script to fill in those gaps. This is mental manipulation at its best.
- Download : The trick you see is the result of a tremendous amount of preparatory work done by the magician. It’s like sitting down to a delicious meal in a restaurant and forgetting how much time and effort was spent preparing it.
- Free Design Choice : Sorcerers often give the impression that you are making a choice when, in fact, you are shown the only possible choice. If you feel that everything is in your hands, you will fall for the illusion even more.
- Use the familiar : sorcerers play on your brain’s needs for pattern detection. If the magician only shows you a few cards from the trick deck, your brain will fill in the blanks and you will assume the deck is normal.
- Challenge : Sorcerers always have a backup plan – or three or four of them. They are prepared for someone to make unusual choices, and they have planned secondary illusions to make up for it. You will never fool a magician. If you think you can, then you’ve already fallen heavily on principle number four.
- Control the frame : As a filmmaker or photographer, magicians know how to get your attention where they want. You will always look where they want to, because your brain has nothing to do about it.
That’s all. Illusions may not be real magic, but they trick your brain so well that they can.