School of Thinking

The Necker Cube and Human Perception

Posted on December 24th, 2007 by Michael

The Necker Cube is an ambiguous line drawing. It can be interpreted two different ways. When a person stares at the picture, it will often seem to flip back and forth between the two valid interpretations. The Necker Cube is an optical illusion first published in 1832 by Swiss crystallographer Louis Albert Necker.

Like the paradox of the “half-empty/half-full glass of water” the Necker Cube shows how human perception is multi-stable. It can change and be changed–it can flip/flop.

This also shows why the cvs2bvs brain software is so powerful in the human perception system because it can change, or flip, perception from one stable state to another stable state–on command!

Click through here to an interesting animated Necker Cube.

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20 Responses to “The Necker Cube and Human Perception”


  1. Paula Says:

    I find these illusions very interesting and clearly they illustrate the fact that there is more than one view of a situation and that we have to try to be open to and recognise them all.

  2. Lawrence Lee Says:

    be prepared to flip, and create flip to get another point of view :)

  3. Joan Says:

    As I stare at it, the image “flips” so I see it one way then the other. I have two questions. 1. I wonder what my brain is doing? 2. Can I make my brain change back and forth?

  4. hrobson Says:

    as we percieve so we will behave

  5. Beatty-Anne Says:

    We aren’t who we think we are. We are actually who others perceive us to be.

  6. Abdul Enoch Kokori Says:

    it is quite interesting. our current view of any situation in life can become better based on some factors socio-cultural, belief system and time. time is usually pregnant with information that can change cvs 2 bvs.

  7. Nicoleen Moller Says:

    Interesting how much I do not observe around myself

  8. Dolf Says:

    The illusion is very interesting – clearly more than one few of the situation.

  9. Keith Says:

    probably better not to think too much with this one – just relax and let your brain do the switching.

  10. jj Says:

    ohh – stimulating total transformation becomes child’s play

  11. john buchanan Says:

    While the illusions did not work for me I understand that perception and reality are quite different and who creates perception can make a major impact on our lives if we accept blindly

  12. Tony Says:

    I can change my view of my world, and anything in it, simply by deciding to see it differently.

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    [...] Click through here for more on the Necker Cube … [...]

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  15. Sandeep Choudhary Says:

    interesting….
    you have to just try and you can change your perception so quickly and flip so easily….

  16. Susan Says:

    WOW!!!!

  17. Ruk Says:

    Interesting to see how illusive perceptions can be.

  18. Bruce Swanton Says:

    Perception is everything. Question every formulation.

  19. hi Says:

    sort of like love huh?

  20. School of Thinking » Blog Archive » Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Says:

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