Convex or Concave Hanger

Got this incredible photo from one of our loyal visitors. Then I made a cropped version of it to strengthen the effect. Just look at the small thumbnail on your right. How easy it is to decide whether the doll-like hanger is convex or concave (embossed or embedded)? There should be no mistake if we decide it’s concave convex, right?

Unfortunately, our brain was fooled once again! This known effect has something to do with our brain processing the information of face-like objects, automatically rendering them to convex 3d models. We just can’t fight it.

Check the complete photo below! It’s almost impossible to notice where the concave part ends and (falsely presumed) convex part of the figure starts. Probably we saw so many faces during our life, it’s impossible to ignore the learned logic which constructs them 3-dimensionally in our head. Do you think kids are immune to this? How about animals?

36 Replies to “Convex or Concave Hanger”

    1. I think kids ARE immune to this effect, since I didn’t fall for it too. Who knows?

  1. i thought (in the widget) it would be concave (b/c i knew it was illusion) with some features popping out….The picture would have been a little more convincing without the left edge and right shoulder

  2. The face portion appears convex with the upper part being concave,I think???? As for the kids, I would say, having worked with childrens art, much of it is concave,but not all. As for the animals, I have no idea!

  3. kids are immune! It is concave! Look at where the metal hook goes through the hanger! And I am a kid! Also, HOORAY! First comment!!

  4. “There should be no mistake if we decide it’s concave, right?

    Unfortunately, our brain was fooled once again!”

    This is a confusing statement. It looks like you’re saying it is not concave.

  5. I have to say – that you website is fantastic~ I love it!
    I teach Psychology and the illusions on this site have provided the building blocks for many a discussion into visual perception! thanks!!

  6. Ok if you look at the way that the reflection and the shadow goes, I would have to say that the whole thing is concave. Awesome illusion, it’s so hard to tell!!

  7. the upper part with the hook is concave, obviously………..the rest looks like convex shadow, but isn’t….it’s all concave

  8. When do people learn that when there ain’t a comment on the site, it doesn’t mean that their comment is the first one which get approved?

    Anyway, I try to see the illusion, but the nose ain’t right. I just can’t and I’m no kid, no!

  9. In the cropped picture, it looks very much convex, however when I look at the full image, it looks very much concave.

  10. i thought (in the widget) it would be concave (b/c i knew it was illusion) with some features popping out….The picture would have been a little more convincing without the left edge and right shoulder

  11. U call dis an illusion? if u look at the 1 behind theres 2 things about it… 1, theres a shadow on it and 2, u can see part of the area behind it… the the shine bit meaning it MUST be a concave

  12. I wasn’t fooled by this for a second but there was a similar thing on BBC four the other week about this sort of thing and that one was just a mold of a face, but all in, and I fell for it and couldn’t make it look like how it actually was, I think this is a bad version of this illusion but the illusion in itself is fascinating.

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