misperceptions

Misperceptions

by Bob on October 11, 2007

We all hear about it. It happens all the time. Not to everyone. But to some, if not many. Freud made a minor industry out of one type of it.

Misperceptions. What they tell us about the mind and soul and will of the person perceiving. Rorschach tests are classical mechanisms for delving into perceptions and misperceptions.

Freudian slips are a type of reverse misperception. That is not hearing something other than it was actually said, but saying something on our mind but a mistake in the articulated speech.

The most common type is what we might call "mis-heard lyrics" in songs. What the listener mis-hears is fascinating usually.

One classical mis-heard song lyric is from Creedence Clearwater Revival and their 1969 song "Bad Moon Rising" wherein there is a line "there's a bad moon on the rise" and many people hear it as "there's a bathroom on the right".

There are so many more examples.

It tells us a lot about the person who is perceiving or misperceiving.

Herman Rorschach knew this and used it in his testing of people. Smart person.

And there are whole websites dedicated to mis-heard song lyrics and mis-heard movie lines. It tells us a lot. Ever hear Jimi's "Purple Haze" ?