Tag: illusion

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Computational Linguistics AI Psycholinguistics

The ELIZA Effect: Why We Talk to Chatbots Like They’re Human

Estimated read time 6 min read

Have you ever found yourself saying “please” and “thank you” to a chatbot or voice assistant? This is the ELIZA effect, our tendency to unconsciously attribute human-like intelligence and empathy to computer programs that mimic conversation. This post dives into the psychology behind this phenomenon, its origins with a 1960s “digital therapist,” and the clever linguistic tricks developers use to make machines feel more human.

Categories
Phonetics Neurolinguistics Linguistics Psycholinguistics

Hearing with Your Eyes: The McGurk Effect and the Illusions of Speech Perception

Estimated read time 7 min read

What happens when your eyes and ears receive conflicting information? The McGurk effect is a powerful illusion where seeing a person say one sound while hearing another causes your brain to perceive a third, completely different sound. This fascinating phenomenon reveals that speech perception is a complex, multisensory process, proving we truly do hear with our eyes.