Limited perception

Dear reader,

we're looking at our watch daily. Whether it's a wrist watch or the mobile phone (cell phone for american readers). Do you have a wrist watch? If so, cover it up with your other hand to not look at it and answer a couple of questions:

- Can you tell me, if your watch is an analog one with the numbers 1 to 12 in a circle or is it digital?
- If it's analog: does it have roman numbers or arabic ones (like this number: 2) or lines where the numbers should be? Does it have a way of showing you the seconds in some way? If so how? Does your watch also have a section for the date?
- If your watch is digital: does it have arabic numbers like on a clock face that just jump to the next number? Or is it a typical digital way with lines forming the numbers? Does it show the date?

For those among you, who already don't have a wrist watch: does your mobile/cell have numbers to show the time or the lines that form the numbers? Does your phone show you the seconds? If so how?

Now take your hand off your wrist watch or take your phone and check, if your answers were correct.

Please cover your watch or phone for one last time, so you can't see the display.

You just had a look at your watch or phone. So clearly you can tell me what time it is for you right now? If it's any comfort to you: most people will not be able to answer that question. Because our perception is always limited. When you looked at the watch the first time, it was to see if you answered the questions correctly. The time display was irrelevant for you. So you didn't pay attention to it.

It's similar to the following, probably already familiar, video. The instruction is to count how many times the players with the white t-shirts passed the ball:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY 

Until next blog,


sarah