Medical image analysis experts have improved ability to disregard irrelevant context, study finds
Your support helps us to tell the story
Support Now
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Radiologists are particularly adept at spotting optical illusions, according to a new study that sheds light on how one could train to avoid being tricked by their vision.
Until now, scientists have found that several factors, including gender and cultural differences, can play a role in a person getting deceived by optical illusions.
Researchers have held that a person may have no choice by default over whether they see an illusion or not.
However, whether a person can train themself to see unsee illusions remains unclear.
One previous study has hinted that social scientists like psychologists may be seeing illusions more strongly compared to other academic professionals like mathematicians.
A woman watches an optical illusion at the Optikpark in Rathenow, eastern Germany
A woman watches an optical illusion at the Optikpark in Rathenow, eastern Germany (DDP/AFP via Getty Images)
In the new research, scientists tested whether specific visual expertise and training related to a specific profession can make one less deceivable to such tricks.
They assessed 44 radiologists and compared their abilities to spot illusions with those of over 100 psychology and medical students.
The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, reveal that experts in medical image interpretation, such as radiologists are less susceptible to most optical illusions.
“Our results show that medical image experts were significantly less susceptible” to optical illusions, “demonstrating superior perceptual accuracy”, scientists wrote.
For instance, one of the tests included two orange circles side by side with each of them surrounded by a number of pink ones.
In the first case, the orange circle on the left is 6 per cent smaller than the one on the right but most participants in the study saw it as larger.
Another test image had the same set up but the left image was about 10 per cent smaller.
While most non-radiologists still saw the left one as bigger, only radiologists seemed to get that one right.
“Radiologists are not entirely immune to the illusion, but are much less susceptible,” researchers wrote in The Conversation.
Students perform stunning optical illusion dance with mirrors
Thousands of students performed a stunning mirror illusion choreography for a sports event. Footage shows the youngsters' synchronized performance in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, on February 25. They all wore black in formation and swayed their mirrors to reflect against light. Their movements created a spectacular display like bright lights shining through the dark stadium. Eent-goer Reinabelle Junice Stayscie Manuel said: 'It was a beautiful performance that took months to practice.'
Students perform stunning optical illusion dance with mirrors
Scientists also found that radiologists just beginning training seemed “no better than normal”, suggesting the superior perception among experts in the field could be a result of their extensive training.
They suspect pursuing expertise in medical image interpretation could improve one’s ability to disregard irrelevant context and enhance perceptual abilities.
“Some visual skills developed by experts in radiology and radiography appear to be transferrable beyond their domain of expertise,” scientists wrote.
“Our research advances theoretical understanding of how expertise and training impact fundamental mechanisms underpinning visual perception,” they concluded.