A friend of mine copied this conversation from a movie called Interstate 60 (by Bob Gale) into an e-mail. If the movie as good as this nice (cognitive) theory than I'm coming back soon with a short review (I'm trying not to draw too deep conclusions looking at its terrible poster...). Stay tuned, but now enjoy:
[In the scene Ray is showing Neal cards in qiuck
succession and he has to say what suit they are]
- Neal Oliver: So did I pass?
- Ray: No! (shows him the cards) But few people do.
- Neal Oliver: Black hearts? Red spades? Come on, that's like cheating.
- Ray: Ah, experience has conditioned you into thinking that all hearts are red and all spades are black because their shapes are similar. It's easier for your mind to interpret them based on that past experience instead of being open to the idea they could be different. We see what we expect to see, not necessarily what's really there. Children who have never played cards always pass this test. Makes you wonder how many other things are right in front of you - sights, sounds, smells that you can't experience because you've been conditioned not to. The good news is, if we do the test again, you'll pass. Once you're aware that there can be black hearts and red spades you'll be able to perceive them. Our brain's wiring is like the interstate highway system. It's easier to go from one well-traveled place to another. But the places in between, off the highway, even though they're there, most people zip right past them.
- Neal Oliver: Well, that's a cool trick, but there aren't any card games with red spades and black hearts.
- Ray: Well, how would you know?
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