Visual Perception: Form an Observing Habit by Thinking About WHAT YOU SEE, FAST AND SLOW

Visual perception is a cognitive process and therefore subject to similar patterns as cognition. Metacognition is thinking about thinking, and by analogy visual metaperception is thinking about seeing. Just as thinking can be instinctual (“fast” or System 1 thinking) or more logical and conscious (“slow” or System 2 thinking) according to Nobel-prize winning Daniel Kahneman, visual perception can be “fast” or “slow.” Optical illusions provide good examples of fast and slow visual processing, highlighting the potential perceptual errors in our interpretation of what we see. Thinking about seeing fast and slow is a first step toward creating an accurate observing habit for better doctor-patient connection.