Barlow's experiment

Barlow's experiment, conducted by British neuroscientist Howard Barlow in the 1960s, explored how our brains interpret visual information. Using an apparatus that displayed moving images, he demonstrated that the brain can quickly adapt and predict movements, rather than just react passively. By manipulating what participants saw, Barlow showed that their perception of motion could change based on their expectations. This work highlighted the active role of the brain in visual perception, influencing fields such as neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence by revealing how we process and understand the world around us.