Is What We See Real or Just a Story We Tell Ourselves?

Have you ever seen something that turned out to be totally different from what you first thought? Maybe you saw a shadow in the dark and thought it was a person, only to realize it was just a coat hanging up. Or you could have mistaken a distant object for an animal, only to find out it was just a tree branch moving in the wind. This makes us wonder: do we see things as they actually are, or are we just creating stories based on what we think we see?

Scientists have explored this question for years, and the answers they’re finding are pretty mind-blowing. Let’s dive into how perception works, and see how our minds can sometimes trick us into believing a story rather than seeing reality.

Our Brains Fill in the Blanks

One way to understand perception is to think about our brain as a puzzle solver. Our brains want to make sense of the world, so when information is missing, they try to fill in the gaps. A study by MIT researchers showed that the brain is constantly filling in missing pieces of visual information, almost like guessing. When we see something unclear or unusual, our brain tries to match it with something familiar to us. This is why we often "see" faces in clouds or in the front of cars; our brains are really good at spotting patterns.

The Power of Expectations

Psychologists have found that what we expect can change what we see. For example, if someone tells you a story about a ghostly shadow in a specific spot, you might start to see it too—even if it’s just a trick of the light. This idea was studied by psychologist Richard Gregory in the 1970s. He called this the “top-down processing” model, where our brains use what we already know (or think we know) to make sense of what we’re seeing. So instead of just taking in what’s in front of us, our brain uses past experiences and knowledge to create a story.

Here’s an experiment that shows this well: scientists presented participants with images that were a bit blurry, making it hard to see exactly what they were looking at. The participants often described seeing things that weren’t there—things that fit with what they expected or were familiar with. This showed that we often don’t see what’s actually there but instead see what we think is there.

Memory’s Role in Perception

It turns out, even our memories are constantly changing, which also affects how we see the world. A study by Elizabeth Loftus showed how memories can be influenced after they happen. Loftus found that if people were asked to recall an event with certain suggestive questions, they could be led to remember things that never actually happened. This means that our brains are not only creating stories in the moment but also changing our memories of events later on to fit a certain story.

This can make our perception of the world a bit like a game of “telephone,” where the message gets changed each time it’s retold. We’re constantly adding little details, adjusting what we remember based on our current beliefs, and often fitting things into the stories we’re used to telling ourselves.

Seeing is Believing...Or Is It?

All this might make you wonder: if our brains are filling in gaps, using memories, and changing what we see based on expectations, can we ever truly see the world as it is? That’s a big question, but the answer seems to be “maybe not.” Our perception of reality is influenced by so many factors that it’s almost impossible to separate the story from the actual thing.

Think about it this way: our brains are like story-makers. They take in signals, mix them with what we already know, and spit out a version of reality that we believe is true. But because each person has their own unique mix of memories, beliefs, and experiences, everyone’s version of reality is slightly different. What you see might not be exactly what someone else sees, even if you’re both looking at the same thing!

So, Does Perception Equal Reality?

It’s clear that perception plays a huge role in shaping our experience of the world. We don’t just see things as they are; we see things based on what we believe, expect, and remember. This might sound strange, but it also makes sense. After all, our brains are designed to help us survive and make sense of things quickly. If they’re constantly tweaking our view of the world to fit the stories we’re familiar with, they’re helping us navigate life in a way that feels stable, even if it’s not perfectly accurate.

So, the next time you think you’re seeing something strange or surprising, take a second look! It might just be your brain filling in the blanks or creating a story based on what it thinks should be there. In the end, what we “see” is often just as much about us as it is about reality.

In the words of author Anaïs Nin: “We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.” Our perceptions may not always be perfectly accurate, but they are uniquely ours. And in a way, that’s pretty amazing.