Why Do People Believe in Things That Aren't Real?

Sometimes people believe things that aren’t real because their brain fills in the blanks. Like when you hear a noise at night and think it’s a ghost, even though there's probably just a cat walking around. Your brain tries to make sense of things using what it knows, so sometimes it makes up answers. This is how believing in illusions works, like seeing shapes in clouds or thinking your phone is ringing when it isn’t.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. A child thinks the moon follows them home because they see it every night.
  2. Someone thinks their neighbor can read their mind when they guess what they’re thinking.
  3. You believe your dog talks to you in your head during the day, even though it just barks.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity