How Visual Perception Shapes The World

  I recently attended a research talk by Dr. Nick Baker on how the human visual systems encodes for mental imagery. He discussed the process of abstraction, which is the changing, removal, or addition of information in an external stimulus as it is encoded in the mind. His research focused on how the visual system processes curves and corners, and whether certain shapes are easier for the brain to encode than others. 

In his research, subjects completed three tasks involving dot arrangements with sharp corners, smooth curves, or random patterns. The results showed that it is easier to perceive a shape with smooth contour than sharp contour. This suggests that the basic building blocks of our mental representations of shapes aren’t restricted to straight lines, but focus on curvatures as well. Dr. Baker also found that shapes with greater variation in curvature are more difficult to encode than shapes with a slight or consistent variation of the curve. During the presentation, he displayed several dot arrangements and line drawings to show this effect in real time. Through class participation, it became clear that smoother and rounder shapes were generally favored as more comfortable to look at. It was also easier to recognize the circular shapes in dot arrays than more angular shapes like stars and rectangles.

    After hearing about this research, I became curious about how the shapes we encounter every day affect our visual systems. The article "Modern Design Geometry Causes Visual Stress and Overload” discusses how certain features of human made environments can make visual processing more difficult. Modern day environments often contain cluttered interiors, high contrast colors, and striped patterns. The article explains that through an "evolutionary mismatch”, modern day environments stress out our visual systems. Humans developed while surrounded by nature including trees, rivers and fields, all of which are smooth and flowing. In comparison, modern environments are filled with perfect lines, repeating structures and highly compact products that create an environment where the brain is working harder than it wants to encode the information, causing exhaustion in visual pathways which can lead to physical stress. 

      This connection between modern day geometry and how it is processed in our visual systems has made me think differently about how we design everyday objects and environments. Dr. Baker's research suggests that smooth contours and consistent curves are easier for our visual systems to process, while the article shows how highly geometric environments can contribute to visual stress. Together, these ideas could be applied to the world of engineering and architecture. Engineers and architects tend to focus more on strength, cost and function, but should also try to include a design that is processed by the human brain in a simpler way. By incorporating smooth curves, simpler patterns, and more natural shapes into man made environments, we can create calmer settings in society and possibly make humans' day lives less stressful. If our visual system is able to encode visual stimuli easier, our brains can focus more on executive functional and other processes, to create a higher functioning and more peaceful society. 

References: 

Baker, N., & Kellman, P. J. (2024, May 15). Shape from dots: A window into abstraction processes in visual perception. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2024.1367534/full 

Neuroscience News. (2026, July 9). Modern design geometry causes visual stress and brain overload. https://neurosciencenews.com/neuroarchitecture-geometry-visual-stress-31026/ 

Why Do Some People Move Less? Examining How Adverse Experiences Shape Physical Activity

 
Physical inactivity is a common concern today, as it can lead to obesity, heart disease, chronic diseases, and so on. It is one of the leading causes of mortality and is related not only to physical but also to psychological well-being. Many people do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity, including adolescents, for whom exercising is especially important, as it could promote mental health and contribute to their physical health as well. Studies have investigated the harmful effects of the lack of exercise, however, fewer studies have looked at the possible causes of physical inactivity. There is a growing amount of literature on how stress, psychological trauma, or adverse life experiences can influence physical inactivity. Studying these causes could provide a better understanding of the physiological and psychological background of physical inactivity, leading to more effective approaches to treatment and intervention for such lifestyles. 

Recently, more studies have investigated the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their associations with physical activity. ACEs include environmental stressors such as abuse, neglect, or household challenges, which have already been associated with a higher risk of substance abuse, obesity, depression, and so on. They pose a huge risk for youth, and it is essential to understand how they affect people's lives in the future. A 2024 study has examined several ACEs and their associations with daily step counts as a measure of physical activity. They found an inverse relationship between ACEs and daily steps, meaning that those who experienced ACEs had lower levels of physical activity. Additionally, as the number of ACEs increased, people had fewer steps, suggesting that greater exposure to adversity could be associated with a more serious decrease in physical activity. However, this study only examined associations between stress and physical activity, raising additional questions about how psychological trauma or stress could have an effect on physical activity. 

To answer these questions, Buhr and colleagues (2023) examined how acute stress affects the brain chemistry of rodents and how it affects their physical activity. To create ACEs, they administered tail shocks to mice, and after 36 hours, they gave them a running wheel and measured how much they ran compared to the control mice that had not received the tail shocks. After 9 weeks, they found that mice who received the most tail shocks ran the least among all groups. This provides evidence for previous studies claiming that stress may cause physical inactivity. Moreover, after examining the mice's brains, they found that acute stress may be related to neurological changes in the dopamine system, which is involved in reward seeking and is also implicated in movement. These results provide evidence that adverse experiences may alter brain monoamine systems, such as the dopamine system, potentially contributing to deficits in physical activity. 

Overall, these studies point to the fact that it is essential to focus on the causes of physical inactivity rather than labelling people as lazy. Providing proper treatments and developing interventions could lead to helping millions of people who live an inactive life better understand some of the possible causes and start their journey toward a more active life. 

References

Al-Shoaibi, A. A., Iyra, P., Raney, J. H., Ganson, K. T., Dooley, E. E., Testa, A., ... & Nagata, J. M. (2024). Associations between adverse childhood experiences and early adolescent physical activity in the United States. Academic pediatrics, 24(4), 662-668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2023.10.004 

Buhr, T. J., Reed, C. H., Wee, O. M., Lee, J. H., Yuan, L. L., Fleshner, M., ... & Clark, P. J. (2023). The persistence of stress-induced physical inactivity in rats: an investigation of central monoamine neurotransmitters and skeletal muscle oxidative stress. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 17, 1169151. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1169151