I See FACES

Why do some people see faces in random patterns? Helen Foster set out to learn more about pareidolia

So far this morning I have spotted faces in a crumpled piece of clothing and my neighbour’s front door, while my morning cereal was topped by a particularly grumpy-looking slice of banana. And while this might sound a little like I need some kind of intervention, it’s actually a completely normal phenomenon called pareidolia, where people see faces in inanimate objects. But why does it occur? Frankly, why doesn’t it occur might be a better question. “Being able to spot faces is critical for our survival and our social life,” explains neuroscientist Professor David Alais from the University of Sydney. “We need to quickly recognise friends, enemies, healthy people or unhealthy people and the best way to do this is for the brain to have a simple template, akin to two…

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Reader’s Digest New Zealand (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025 / May 2025

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