Comments on: Shapes-in-clouds process called...?

Question: Shapes-in-clouds process called...?

timnyc — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:14:28 -0800

Looking at clouds in the sky you see objects -- dog, faces, whatever. What's this process called?

I recently saw a specific word that describes the finding-objects-in-clouds process. What's the word? I'm also interested in other words that describe the finding-shapes-in-things process. Is this a Gestalt thing?

By: matildaben

matildaben — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:21:21 -0800

It's an instance of the built-in human capability for pattern recognition. I don't know any cloud-specific terms, however.

By: kindall

kindall — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:23:25 -0800

Pareidolia.

By: kindall

kindall — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:24:46 -0800

This is a particularly spooky example.

By: Chunder

Chunder — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:29:28 -0800

Kindall - great link, never read that one before... I remember reading a fantastic SF story (I think) about the testing of a nuclear device, where they recorded the explosion in extreme slow-motion... and saw the same kind of devil image. Creepy.

By: bDiddy

bDiddy — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:31:57 -0800

Nephelococcygia is the act of finding shapes in clouds.

By: devilsbrigade

devilsbrigade — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:41:51 -0800

in Google Earth, go to 16*20'37.78" S 71*58'10.58" W and you'll see the face in the sand

I'd call it pattern recognition, but pareidolila seems to be correct. On an interesting note, when you're tired or (*cough* otherwise inhibited) you're far, far more prone to strange types of pattern recognition. In fact, patterns are everywhere, if you bother looking for them.

By: edd

edd — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 09:53:20 -0800

Simulacra is the name used for objects that resemble something. As used in a regular column in the Fortean Times.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 10:42:10 -0800

I'm not sure nephelococcygia can be called a word yet, although obviously people are trying to establish it as one and it would be useful. I'd stick with pareidolia for the time being, though that's obscure enough you'll have to explain it every time you use it.

By: Lockeownzj00

Lockeownzj00 — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 15:01:29 -0800

Oh god, thank you kindall! Ever since that one Penn and Teller Episode on religious icons I've been dying to know the spelling for it. I kept getting frustrated typing in "paradolia" into wikipedia and not finding anything.

By: kindall

kindall — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 16:24:01 -0800

Oddly enough, if you type "paradolia" into Google, the Skeptic's Dictionary page I linked is the #6 result. ;)