Cognitive illusions

From magic to science

Gustav Kuhn

Magicians have developed powerful techniques to manipulate our perception and awareness. Many of these techniques share similarities with phenomena typically investigated by psychologists and neuroscientists. Here a novel approach to the study of consciousness is proposed which utilizes the magician’s expertise to complement more traditional experimental laboratory based research. It is argued that this approach offers new and exciting insights into wide areas of consciousness, such as attention, visual awareness and top-down modulation of perception.

Published online: 28 October 2010
https://doi.org/10.1075/aicr.79.19kuh

Cited by

Cited by 2 other publications

Demacheva, Irina, Martin Ladouceur, Ellis Steinberg, Galina Pogossova & Amir Raz

2012. The Applied Cognitive Psychology of Attention: A Step Closer to Understanding Magic Tricks. Applied Cognitive Psychology 26:4 ► pp. 541 ff.

Rensink, Ronald A. & Gustav Kuhn

2015. A framework for using magic to study the mind. Frontiers in Psychology 5

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