In Lisbon, the European Researchers’ Night (NEI2024), coordinated by ULisboa, includes online activities and more than 170 local activities inspired by the theme SCIGLO – Science for Global Challenges. Activities take place in Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Jardim Botânico de Lisboa, and Jardim do Príncipe Real, from 5pm till midnight on 27 September.
MeL Team will be there!
Title: From the physical world to the mental world: what do illusions teach us about the human mind?
Description: When does the mind play tricks on us? In this activity we will explore some illusions studied by Cognitive Psychology to understand the functioning of the human mind and how it often distorts reality. We will explore the chain of events, from the physical stimulus, to perception, to the construction of mental representations. There is room for illusions in every cognitive stage. It’s amazing how we are still deceived even after knowing how the mind works!
Age groups: 6-18 years old
Relation to NEI2024 theme: The way the human mind works implies that what appears to us to be a reliable reality sometimes does not correspond to the physical world. Examples are perceptual illusions and other cognitive illusions studied by Psychology. In the current context of growing misinformation, the question of how what seems real (or reliable) to us could be an error in perception or interpretation of reality has implications for raising awareness of this phenomenon. This activity draws attention to the importance of verifying events, even when they seem real to us.
