Thursday, July 21, 2005

Powers of Observation

The following was adopted from a post I read on a poker bulletin board. Thanks to Edward Hutchinson of Mississippi for his post. I have adopted it to relate to EMS powers of observation.
***

Try this psychology experiment.


Go to this site: http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html


run the tape excerpt and try to count the number of times the basketball is
passed.


That's it. Just count the number of times the ball is passed.


DO THIS BEFORE READING FURTHER

Then to learn more about your results, come
back here and scroll way down.

DON'T LOOK BELOW until you have counted the
number of passes.


keep scrolling down......


Have you counted the number of passes?


OK, fine. Did you notice anything unusual while counting the passes?


If you didn't, then go back and watch the tape again. This time don't worry
about counting anything, just watch.


Did you see it this time?


Scroll down further for the answer as to what you should now be seeing


You will see a gorilla walk into the covey of players, stop and beat his
chest, and then walk off the scene. Go back and replay the tape if
necessary. The gorilla is certainly not hidden in any way.


Now the real question: Why do most people not see the gorilla?


Ponder this question the next time you are confronted with eye witness
testimony of how what occured at an EMS scene.