Photo: Associate Professor Sam Schwarzkopf
Imagine sitting blindfolded while someone taps two spoons right in front of you. Surprisingly, most people swear the sound came from behind!
Our recent study explored this quirky “spoon illusion,” where listeners consistently misjudge frontal sounds as coming from the rear. In fact, none of our 12 participants correctly identified sounds placed in front of them – though they nailed left and right every time.
What’s going on? It might be our brain’s expectations or the way it interprets ambiguous auditory cues. The illusion holds up in quiet rooms, outdoors, and even with different sounds, making it a fascinating puzzle for perception science – and a great party trick. Want to try it yourself? Grab two spoons, blindfold a friend, and see if their ears play tricks on them!
Apart from being a fascinating discovery, this illusion is important as it reveals the gaps in our understanding of sound processing. In future research we want to explore whether people become less susceptible to this illusion after prolonged periods of blindfolding or how it manifests in people with blindness or low vision.
Hearing where things are in the world matters for all of us – such as when crossing the road. But those with impaired vision must rely on their hearing. People who lost their sight only recently could be especially at risk. A better understanding of why we mishear sounds could help avoid dangerous confusions and also help improve audio aides for people with vision impairments.
Watch the NZ Herald interview about this topic here or listen to the RNZ interview here.