Optical Illusions and Bias

Optical Illusions and Bias in Scientific Study

How Does Bias Affect Scientific Study?

Mistaken Scientists

Unfortunately, most scientists resort to bias in their experiments. With so many types of bias, there are lots of ways to go wrong.

Linus Pauling: Pauling created the idea of the triple helix. Because of his past success he became overly confident in the triple helix model. Pauling had rushed to get his theory published, and because of this he created a false theory.

Fred Hoyle: Hoyle created a model of the universe thinking that it is in the same state that it always was in and it will always stay the same. His failure wasn't in the model, it was in the fact that after lots of evidence against his model started to pile up, he wouldn't accept it.

What are Optical Illusions?

Types of bias:

Design Bias:

Design bias happens when the scientist doesn't take into account all of the possible biases that could happen in the experiment.

Selection Bias:

• Omission Bias- happens when groups are excluded from a sample
• Inclusive Bias- happens when groups are chosen for convenience

Procedural Bias: Procedural Bias happens when unfair pressure is put on people and they are being forced to complete something too quickly.

Measurement Bias: When an error occurs in data measurement

Interviewer Bias: When the interviewer uses body language or voice tone to persuade the person to think like them.

Response Bias: When the person being interviewed gives the answers the interviewer

wants to hear.

Reporting Bias: When the data is incorrectly shown to the public. IE, undesirable

parts of the data are excluded from the media coverage.

An optical illusion is an image that deceives the viewer by appearing as something that it is not.

Thank You For Watching!

Here is an example of an optical illusion. The first image looks like a princess, right? Well if you flip it, the princess becomes an old man! Cool, right?

What is Bias?

Bias is prejudice against a certain group or outcome based on personal preference, usually considered to be unfair.

Sources Cited

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/index.html

http://explorable.com/research-bias

http://www.livescience.com/32051-greatest-scientific-mistakes.html

An example of bias would be; if a scientist were looking for a certain result in an experiment, and they only chose participants that were the most likely to produce the desired result.

Optical Illusions and Bias

Optical Illusions

Sometimes, with optical illusions, there are two sides to the illusion. Once our brain recognizes one part of the illusion, it is hard for it to see the second part. Because we have trouble seeing the second part, we believe that there is only one possible piece of the illusion. For example, the first illusion you saw of the princess and the old man was a two sided illusion. When you saw the picture one way you saw a princess, and when you saw it another way you could see the old man. With this said, many illusions take power over us and effect what we believe, even in science.

Both optical illusions and bias affect science. With optical illusions, what we see is what we believe. Because of this, we may study the wrong thing because our brain saw the wrong thing. With bias there are many different mistakes that we could make. We could make mistakes because we want the easy way out or we believe in something so strongly that our body language and tone of voice could persuade others to think like us too. All of these aspects affect what we believe and what others believe. Because of what they believe, many scientists have made errors in their work. Many scientists today and long ago have been affect by bias and optical illusions.