What are perception gaps?

Perception gaps refer to the discrepancies between how we perceive things and how they actually are. Our visual experiences often misrepresent reality because our eager minds fill in missing pieces, resulting in an imperfect impression of the world. Shane Parrish discussed how this occurs constantly without our awareness, affecting both significant and trivial decisions. He explored this concept with Emily Balcetis, highlighting the unique aspects of vision compared to other senses and discussing how these perception gaps can influence our behavior [1].

For example, our visual perceptions are particularly deceptive because, unlike other senses, we seldom receive immediate feedback that corrects our misunderstandings. This leads us to overly trust our visual experiences. Emily Balcetis expanded on this, discussing how visual experiences lack tangible feedback like other senses, which contributes significantly to perception gaps [2].

Moreover, Balcetis explained the perception gap in terms of psychological effects, especially in how people perceive and respond to their environments. She argues that visual illusions can affect our psychological state, altering our performance and motivation. This concept of perception gaps is seen as an opportunity rather than a deficit, suggesting that understanding and using these gaps advantageously can enhance our decision-making and actions [3].