Experiment with Visual Inversion

Experiment Overview

  • Subject: Susanna Fine, a London Arts student

  • Objective: To explore the brain's adaptability through a visual inversion experiment.

  • Methodology: Susanna wears special spectacles that flip her visual field upside down for a duration of one week.

Inversion of Vision

  • Initial Challenge: The experiment forces the brain to correct for the inversion created by the lenses.

  • First Impressions: Susanna articulates confusion upon seeing the world upside down, stating, "God, it's really weird because I'm sure I'm holding the cup."

Progress Over Time

  • First Impressions at Home (1 hour later):

    • Feeling of bewilderment persists.

    • Quote: "Got it? It's funny, I just suddenly do it. Um, lost it again."

  • Day 3 Challenges:

    • Susanna attempts to write her name without looking.

    • States difficulty: "Oh, um, now it's rather difficult to know which end to start that."

    • She only partially recognizes letters: "I can read half; I can read that 'n', but not the rest of it."

    • Noticeable improvement once she looks: She can clearly invert letters with visual feedback.

Integration and Adaptation

  • Final Day:

    • After a week of practice, Susanna successfully attempts to draw while wearing the spectacles.

    • She can now sign her name correctly and right-side up, demonstrating significant adaptation.

    • Key observation: Her brain has adjusted to incorporating the upside-down visual input into her motor actions.

Removing the Spectacles

  • Post-Experiment Reaction:

    • Upon removing the glasses, Susanna prepares to walk across the room and describes her experience as "terrifying" but also "extraordinary."

    • Quotes her experience: "Ah, oh goodness! Ah, it's really extraordinary. Just feel everything all around me. Amazing!"

  • Adaptive Response:

    • Susanna reports a swift re-adaptation to normal vision within an hour after the removal of the spectacles.

    • Reflects the brain's remarkable ability to revert to normal functionality: "If you look around, everything seems completely normal again."

Implications of the Experiment

  • Brain’s Plasticity: This experiment illustrates the plasticity of the visual pathway, showing that the brain is capable of adapting to significant changes in sensory input.

  • Flexibility in Visual Processing: The brain’s pathways for vision can adjust itself to help individuals navigate and make sense of altered realities, providing insight into its remarkable adaptability to environmental changes.