The Monkey Business Illusion

Before going any further, watch the video above. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

(hums Jeopardy Theme to self)

I just finished reading Daniel Simons book, The Invisible Gorillaย that deals with this videoย and other topics related to observation, multi-tasking and other ways our intuition decieves us. I am planning a cartoon based on one of my favorite learnings from the book.

Tell me how you did in the comments.

BTW, I did a guest cartoon for Jande over at Aedre’s Firefly. Check it out.

Comments

58 responses to “The Monkey Business Illusion”

  1. lisleman Avatar

    I have seen this type of video experiment before but as it points out I did not notice the color change or the player leaving.
    I have no idea how you are going to do with a cartoon.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Well it wasn’t that portion of the book that my cartoon will focus on but I thought you all might enjoy the video.

  2. Gav Avatar

    Got the correct number of passes and saw the gorilla, but didn’t notice the person leaving or the curtain changing colour … what does that mean?!!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      They say about 1/2 the people can notice the gorilla but many don’t count the right number of passes. You are better than some but you didn’t see it all so it helps focus that people who say they are great multitaskers may not be.

    2. jynksie Avatar

      I’m with Gav, I got the 16 passes and the gorilla, but the rest I did not notice. Well, I noticed the girl walk off when the gorilla walked on, but I didn’t notice she had actually “left the scene entirely” if that makes any sense?

      Plus I’d like to lodge a complaint, going from red to orange IMHO Isn’t enough of a hue change to notice the curtains change. (So rather than admit I missed it, I’m blaming the creator of this observation test!)

      Now, what doess THAT tell ya?!? *smirk*

      1. Bearman Avatar

        That tells me that when you run a red light and the cop pulls you over that you believe that yellow is too close in color to red and you thought you had more time to make it.

        1. jynksie Avatar

          Traffic lights and traffic signs are nothing more than mere suggestions! *smirk* I proceed through traffic as it suits me! o.O

          1. Bearman Avatar

            I’d love to see your glove compartment. (thousands of unpaid tickets)

  3. Gav Avatar

    Yeah looking forward to how you get a cartoon out of it!

  4. Comedy Plus Avatar

    I was counting along just fine and then that gorilla entered and I quit counting. I didn’t see the player in black leave, and I didn’t know the curtain changing color. That was pretty cool.

    Have a terrific day. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks. I was one who completely missed the gorilla but got the number of passes and noticed something was wrong with the curtain but wasn’t sure.

  5. Friggin Loon Avatar

    I also have watched this video before ๐Ÿ™ Can’t wait for you to do a toon though. I’m wondering how you are going to hide the gorilla ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      This will NOT be a Where’s Waldo post.

    2. Lynn Avatar

      What?!! Nothing snarky from the Friggin Loon on this post? Geez.. I always scroll to those comments first. Just goes to show even the Loon can’t multitask! ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Bearman Avatar

        She has been busy with paying work lately. I can tell by the quality of her own posts..haha

  6. The Good Greatsby Avatar

    I definitely miss a lot of details in life and this video makes an excellent point. Looking forward to seeing your cartoon.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      That is why I tell my wife not to ask me to do something when I am watching tv because I can’t pay attention.

  7. Binky Avatar

    Most people have trouble enough following one thing. When too many things are going on, humans do a lousy job of monitoring them. (Wombies are much better!)

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Unless they are distracted by Chocolate.

      1. Lynn Avatar

        *drool* chocolate….. that would definitely distract me.

      2. Binky Avatar

        That will be my excuse from now on.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Lynn how is Thai chocolate?

          Binks, wasn’t that your excuse before?

  8. G Avatar

    Saw Magilla Gorilla, counted 15 passes but missed the curtain and the other player leaving.

    Cool video though.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Wasn’t Magilla purple? I must have missed him too.

  9. Scholar Mel Avatar

    I got the correct number and did see the gorilla. I did not see the girl leave but then again I wasn’t paying attention to the people the black shirts on.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I wasn’t paying attention to a gorilla either..haha

  10. Nate Fakes Avatar

    I missed the gorilla. I saw the curtain change. I did get the passes right! So, that makes me….um…moderately dumb?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I was the same as you….well moderately.

  11. George Avatar

    Okay, I got the number of passes correct, but I swear I did not see a gorilla, a player leave, nor the curtain color-change the first go round. That’s amazing! I don’t know how I could have missed it.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      So far you are the only one who missed it. Please do not think you can talk on your cell while driving.

  12. Midtoon Avatar

    Gorilla, check. Passes, Check. Curtain… What curtain? I guess I score the same as Nate ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You score higher for seeing the gorilla when I didn’t

  13. Jande Avatar

    Now that was fun! Power of suggestions:”Watch the white players…” Saw the gorilla and like Comedy Plus, lost count, missed the person exchanging places with the gorilla, but did notice the curtain change colour.

    I’m definitely going to check out his site and his book. Thanks Bearman!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      As I said, just finished reading the book. Took a day or so (quick read). I’ll post a cartoon inspired by another part of their book.

      1. Jande Avatar

        I’ll be looking forward to seeing that.

  14. Jande Avatar

    And thanks so very much for the hilarious guest cartoon for Aedre’s Firefly! It’s a hit! :`)

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You are very welcome…feel better.

      1. Jande Avatar

        Thanks, Bearman. Some days the eye seems better and then it gets all prickly again. I just hope I won’t need to go through the ordeal of a corneal transplant. :`P

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Prickly? Stop putting cacti in your eye.

  15. Malveka Avatar
    Malveka

    Saw the gorilla, the curtain change, and the person leave. Now, what’s all this about balls and passes? ๐Ÿ˜›

    OK, that’s not *quite* the way it was. Very interesting. Trial after trial continue to indicate that humans are not particularly good at “multitasking”, yet there seems to be a continuing insistence in popular media that this skill is a hallmark of the “new” generation.

    Well, they certainly might be better at it than me. For example, Jande is currently talking to me from across the room and I haven’t the faintest idea what she is saying because I am typing this at the same time. Fortunately for me, she saw my glassy stare and realized I was already processing a different task. My ears don’t work that well at the best of times and they definitely turn off when my fingers are pecking away at a keyboard.

    Still, I don’t believe that people of any generation can *effectively* carry on a five-way text chat, listen to lyrical music, watch television, play World of Warcraft and do their calculus homework, all at the same time. Not going to happen. Especially not happening if I’m in the same room with the person trying this feat, since I would probably explode very messily just attempting to witness it.

    At any rate, ummm…, Hey! Look at that! There’s a gorilla in my backyard! Oh, wait. Never mind. It’s just my neighbor in his swim trunks. Well, it *is* a hot day.

    Let’s see now… what was I saying? O.O

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I think women might be better than men at the whole multitasking thing.

      I know for me, DVR has saved my marriage. My wife tends to bring up obscure points right at the good part of the show when I really need to pay attention. Before I would miss it paying attention to her. Now that I can pause the TV, and give her my full attention, we are both happy.

      1. Jande Avatar

        I would wager that women are only slightly better than men at multitasking. I know I miss a lot because of the level of attention I’m paying to something. And because of this I tend to go back over what I was doing to make sure I haven’t missed something vital.

        This for me is especially true with trying to do math/reading/listening while something colourful or graphic is poking at my attention. Thus I saw the gorilla pound his chest and the colour change, but missed the exchange of black figures (gorilla and black-clad woman) and lost count.

        Mal neglected to say that he was also wearing earbud headphones when he was typing that soliloquy above, and that was something I didn’t notice right away when I was yakking at him.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Just remember that we are terrible at multitasking. So Mal can’t love you and take out the garbage for you at the same time.

          1. Jande Avatar

            That’s ok. I’m not usually with him when he’s taking out the garbage. ;`)

  16. bschooled Avatar

    There was a ball?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Who wants the ball?? Who wants the ball?? Go get it!!

  17. MC/Curtis Avatar

    I got the count correct and saw the gorilla too, but missed the other two things.

    The demand for multi-tasking is out of control. It’s generally right in the job description now. It’s very stressful to have to do.

    1. Binky Avatar

      Especially because we really can’t do it. At best, we serial-task.

      1. Bearman Avatar

        Exactly, I am good at handling many tasks at once but sometimes I have to shut my door, not look at email, just to get through it.

  18. Lynn Avatar

    I saw 15 throws and missed both the gorilla and the color change of the curtain. Interesting experiment.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      So you lose..haha j/k

  19. Tony McGurk Avatar

    I got the 16 passes & saw the Gorilla & thought YAY!!! I’m a genius.
    Then I thought to myself “Self, I didn’t see the black player leave & I’m certain the curtain didn’t change colour” Then I saw the replay, “Doh!!!”

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I know. You tend to think it wasn’t there the first time so you go back and rerun it.

  20. Jillsy Girl Avatar

    I’m pathetic!! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  21. Duncanr Avatar

    I’d seen this vid before so didn’t bother to count the number of passes.

    I was watching for the gorilla and the curtain colour change ๐Ÿ˜†

    I forgot about the player in black leaving the stage ๐Ÿ˜ณ

    I’m curious how you’re going to make a cartoon out of this !!!

  22. Dr. Cynicism Avatar

    LOVE this vid and the one from their original experiment. I show this to all my students. Funny what we miss…

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You would enjoy the book then.