Pareidolia phenomenon, seeing the figure or face of a person on an inanimate object

When you look at the picture of the house above, what comes to your mind? Most people would have thought that the house looked like the face of a person who was scared or shocked. Or have you ever looked up at a cloudy sky, then saw a collection of clouds that closely resembled the shape of a person's face, complete with their expressions? Well, this is what is called pareidolia.

Maybe some of us have experienced this phenomenon ourselves. So, is this a normal condition or is it a symptom of a certain disease? Let's get to know more about this condition.

What is pareidolia?

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where a person can recognize a certain shape, pattern, or object — usually a face — even though what is seen is an inanimate object. In health science, phenomena like this are sometimes classified into visual illusions (mistakenly capturing and interpreting an image) or even visual hallucinations (as if seeing a face when there is nothing).

Globally, there is no data on how many people have or are experiencing pareidolia. However, it is estimated that quite a lot of people have experienced this phenomenon, where the number of women is more than men.

Is this phenomenon a disease?

The human brain has an area that is responsible for the recognition and perception of faces, namely the front (frontal) and side (temporal) parts of the brain. Some experts argue that some people are born with a tendency to immediately process an inanimate object into certain facial parts so that pareidolia is considered a normal thing, nothing to worry about.

However, other research groups argue that the emergence of this phenomenon can be a symptom of other diseases, especially those related to the human central nervous system.

After all, it also depends on how often you experience this phenomenon. Is it still natural like people in general? Or has it been too often that your daily activities are interrupted, for example because you often think that someone or a face is watching your movements, even though there is nothing?

If indeed you experience it very often or when you experience it you really believe you see someone's face, there could be a certain problem with your health. Some of the diseases that are often associated with pareidolia are:

Lewy body dementia

One of the most common symptoms in people with lewy body dementia (dementia) is visual hallucinations, which account for up to 70 percent of all patients.

Visual hallucinations arise due to degeneration of certain parts and the buildup of Lewy bodies (a type of plaque in the form of protein) in several areas of the brain. As a result, patients often see certain figures, people, or animals that are not actually there.

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a disease that is quite common in society. The disease, which is characterized by slow walking accompanied by small steps, is believed to arise due to an imbalance of regulatory substances in the human brain.

In a number of studies, people with Parkinson's disease have also reported that they often see faces or figures of people who are not humans, but inanimate objects. Several areas of the brain associated with visual perception and hallucinations are believed to play a role in this.

How can a doctor confirm a diagnosis?

Pareidolia is a phenomenon that can be diagnosed by carrying out a test containing certain images. The tested subject will then be asked for his opinion about the image and his response will be assessed, especially if the subject says that he sees the image resembling something or someone.

This kind of test method is very subjective, totally depending on the response of the person being tested. The doctor will also look for other symptoms related to a decrease in the cognitive function of a person's brain.

Can pareidolia be treated?

For those of you who have experienced pareidolia, there is no need to be afraid. It is not certain that this phenomenon is a disease because until now there is no strong evidence of the relationship between pareidolia and certain brain diseases.

However, it's a good idea to consult the complaints you experience to health workers if they feel that it really interferes with your daily activities or there are concerns from those closest to you.