The Black Dot Experiment: How Does Our Perception Shape Our Reality?

I saw a video recently that potently illustrates how what we see and believe forms our world view. A teacher presented her students with a sheet of white paper with a black dot in the center. She asked them to describe in writing what they saw. When they completed the task, she read some of them and found they all focused on the dot and not the white space around it. She likened it to the idea that many people only see the block and not the way to get around it to their destination. Negativity begets negativity. When people only see impediments, depression is more likely to take hold and maintain its grip. For those I have worked with who have this diagnosis, life can look pretty dark. Imagine a pair of glasses sitting by your bedside table. You pick them up and place them on your face and then squint because your vision seems distorted. It takes a few minutes until you realize that they are smudged. You have a decision to make. Do you clean them, or do you allow them to remain smeared? The logical choice is to wipe them off. Sadly, some people would sooner complain that they can’t see than take the moment to make a positive change. I see folks with this mindset often in my therapy practice. Part of our shared task is to have them notice the smudges, decide if they want to keep them and if not, pick up a proverbial cloth. It can take the form of long-held beliefs that people in their lives do them wrong and then they wonder why they continue to attract the same experience...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Depression Memory and Perception Personal Psychotherapy Stories Research Optimism Perspective Reality testing Source Type: blogs