The Xerox experiment or how our mind tricks us

The Xerox experiment refers to a research about human perception. Xerox photocopiers sometimes alter images, blur or exaggerate some shapes. 

These distortions made researchers question how humans interpreted degraded images, and how our brain filled in the missing details and corrected skewed shapes to quickly and accurately identify objects. 

The experiment suggested that human perception is constructive. The brain interprets and reconstructs visual information using prior knowledge and expectations. 

This process allows us to recognize objects when the visual data is inaccurate or of a poor quality.

Even when the images are photocopied multiple times, and become progressively more unrecognizable, people could still identify with differing levels of accuracy what the original image was. 

It showed how our brain can trick us into perceiving and imagining elements that don't really exist. 

Perception is not based on external stimuli only, it is also influenced by other elements.
Our mind can manufacture a reality from degraded information using inferences, quick assumptions, imagination, and expectations.

How we perceive our surroundings is a continual process of interpretation shaped by what we see, hear, and feel, and influenced by our knowledge, memories, expectations, imagination and experiences.