Invictus Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. Source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y_feldblum Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Wow - that is decidedly true. I read it, no problem. Of course, that only is the case when you read each word as a unit. When you focus on the individual letters within a word, everything falls apart. This might be a handy trick for jumbled-words games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinorityOfOne Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 That's also why you can usually read words without too much problem if you can only see half of them. (For example, if a printer only prints the top half of a line of words.) It's harder than when they're misspelled, but it's not that hard. I've heard the way we recognize words described as "topographical". That sounds about right. By the way, it does matter to some extent what order the letters are in. As I recall, the study found that it becomes quite hard to read words when the first and/or last letters are jumbled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y_feldblum Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Another thought ... the mind recognizes entities by contrast, by differences, by their boundaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
always_learning Posted April 2, 2004 Report Share Posted April 2, 2004 I've seen this before, pretty cool huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucentBrave Posted April 2, 2004 Report Share Posted April 2, 2004 I was only slowed down at first. Afterword, I knew something was different, but I read it through- just as I would any novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felicity Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I was curious about this, so I did a little "research" of my own. I let the first and last letter remain constan and tried do various things to the rest of the letters... shuffling, reversing, groiuping consonants and vowels. I also tried keeping the first letter in its place, but realxing the rule about the last letter. Also, tried relaxing all rules when it came to small words (three letters or less...because the rules keep such words unchanged). I am now on my way to my thesis on "Rules of Good 'Aarganm' Puzzle Design". Maybe some government agency will pay me to pursue this. For the curious, here are some sample outputs: A1) A few random "shuffles": The pnaohimenl poewr of the haumn mind. Arcnicdog to a rseeeachrr at Cgdbmraie Usnveitiry, it de'nsot mteatr in what oderr the lrtetes in a word are, the only impntaort tinhg is that the frsit and last letetr be at the rghit pcale. The rest can be a ttaol mess and you can slitl read it wotuhit pebrlom. This is bscaeue the hmaun mind does not read eevry letetr by iltsef, but the word as a wohle. aianmzg The pmenahnoil pweor of the haumn mind. Aidnccorg to a reaereshcr at Cibradgme Uenvtisiry, it den'ost mtetar in what odrer the letetrs in a word are, the only imtonpart tinhg is that the frist and last lteetr be at the rghit pcale. The rest can be a toatl mess and you can sltil read it whtuoit peolrbm. This is bescaue the hmaun mind does not read eervy lteetr by iletsf, but the word as a wlohe. aimazng The peimahnonl poewr of the hmuan mind. Aoccindrg to a rhcreesear at Cdarmbige Usirvienty, it deo'nst mtater in what oredr the lttrees in a word are, the only iatrmnopt tnihg is that the frist and last lteter be at the rhgit pclae. The rest can be a taotl mess and you can stlil read it whtiuot pelorbm. This is bacsuee the hmuan mind does not read evrey ltteer by iletsf, but the word as a wolhe. aamizng ---------------------------------------------- reverse A2) Reverse the order of the letters The pinamonehl pewor of the hamun mnid. Anidroccg to a rehcraeser at Cgdirbmae Utisreviny, it d'nseot mettar in waht oedrr the lrettes in a wrod are, the olny inatropmt tnihg is taht the fsrit and lsat letter be at the rhgit pcale. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can slitl raed it wuohtit pelborm. Tihs is bsuacee the hamun mnid deos not raed erevy letter by ilestf, but the wrod as a wlohe. anizamg ---------------------------------------------- vowels first A3) Put all the vowels first, then the consonants The peoaihnmnl poewr of the huamn mind. Aoiccrdng to a reeaesrchr at Caimbrdge Uieinvrsty, it doesn't maettr in waht oerdr the leettrs in a word are, the only ioamprtnt tihng is taht the first and last leettr be at the right palce. The rest can be a toatl mess and you can sitll read it wioutht poerblm. Tihs is beaucse the huamn mind does not read eevry leettr by ietslf, but the word as a wohle. aaimzng ---------------------------------------------- consonants first A4) Put all the consonants first, then the vowels The phnmneoail pwoer of the hmuan mnid. Accrdnoig to a rsrcheeaer at Cmbrdgaie Unvrstieiy, it dsn'oet mttaer in what order the lttrees in a wrod are, the only imprtnoat thnig is that the frsit and lsat ltteer be at the rghit plcae. The rset can be a ttoal mses and you can stlil read it wthiout prbloem. This is bcseaue the hmuan mnid does not read evrey ltteer by itslef, but the wrod as a whloe. amznaig ---------------------------------------------- vowels first shuffled A5) Shuffle; then, vowels first, followed by consonants The paeoinnmhl peowr of the haumn mind. Aoirdcncg to a raeeerhscr at Cairbgdme Ueiitnsvry, it deo'snt meattr in waht oerdr the leettrs in a word are, the only iaoprntmt tihng is taht the fisrt and last leettr be at the right pacle. The rest can be a taotl mess and you can siltl read it woiuhtt poelrbm. Tihs is bueasce the haumn mind does not read eevry leettr by iesltf, but the word as a wohle. aaizmng ---------------------------------------------- consonants first shuffled A6) Shuffle; then, consonants first, followed by vowels The phnmnaeoil pweor of the hmaun mnid. Acrcndiog to a rrshceeear at Cdgrmbiae Untvsreiiy, it d'nseot mttaer in what odrer the ltrtees in a wrod are, the only imrntpoat tnhig is that the frsit and lsat ltteer be at the rghit plcae. The rset can be a ttaol mses and you can sltil read it wthiuot prlbeom. This is bscaeue the hmuan mnid does not read evrey ltteer by iltsef, but the wrod as a whloe. aznmiag ---------------------------------------------- vowels first reverse A7) Reverse the order; then, vowels first, followed by consonants The piaoenmnhl peowr of the haumn mind. Aiondrccg to a reaeehcrsr at Ciagdrbme Uieitsrvny, it deo'nst meattr in waht oedrr the leertts in a word are, the olny iaontrpmt tinhg is taht the fisrt and last leettr be at the rihgt pacle. The rest can be a taotl mess and you can siltl raed it wuoihtt peolbrm. Tihs is buaesce the haumn mind deos not raed eervy leettr by ielstf, but the word as a wolhe. aianzmg ---------------------------------------------- consonants first reverse A8) Reverse the order; then, consonants first, followed by vowels The pnmnhiaoel pweor of the hmaun mnid. Andrcciog to a rhcrseaeer at Cgdrbmiae Utsrvnieiy, it d'nseot mttear in what odrer the lrttees in a wrod are, the olny intrpmaot tnhig is that the fsrit and lsat ltteer be at the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a ttaol mses and you can sltil raed it whtuoit plbreom. This is bscuaee the hmaun mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by ilstef, but the wrod as a wlhoe. anzmiag ============================================================================ Relax rule and allow 2 and three letter words to be reversed ehT piaoenmnhl peowr fo eht haumn mind. Aiondrccg ot a reaeehcrsr ta Ciagdrbme Uieitsrvny, ti deo'nst meattr ni waht oedrr eht leertts ni a word are, eht olny iaontrpmt tinhg si taht eht fisrt dna last leettr eb ta eht rihgt pacle. ehT rest nac eb a taotl mess dna uoy nac siltl raed ti wuoihtt peolbrm. Tihs si buaesce eht haumn mind deos ton raed eervy leettr yb ielstf, tub eht word sa a wolhe. aianzmg ============================================================================ C) Relax rule: Allow the last letter to be part of the shuffle, a few samples Teh piaoelnmnh peorw of teh haunm mi.dn Aiogndrcc to a reaeerhcrs at Ceiagdrbm Uiei,ytsrvn it deot'ns meartt in wath oerdr teh leesrtt in a wodr ae,r teh oyln iaotntrpm tignh is tath teh fitsr adn lats leertt be at teh rithg pea.cl Teh rets can be a taolt mess adn yuo can sillt raed it wuoitht peo.mlbr Tish is beuaesc teh haunm midn deos not raed eeyrv leertt by ie,flst but teh wodr as a weo.lh aiagnzm ============================================================================ D) No rules... shuffle everything hTe anlhneoimp worpe of eth nuamh id.nm ordccnigA to a rraeescehr at bmCeigdar iisyvt,erUn it onte'sd ettmra in wath erdro teh eslrtet in a dwor ,aer teh lnyo mparnttio gthni is ahtt het ftsri nda tasl rleett be at eht ghtri ec.pal heT tsre anc be a ttaol sesm nda ouy cna tilsl rade it oiuttwh lopbrme. hTis is eeubasc het ahumn dinm sode ont raed revey tteerl by set,ifl tub eht odwr as a lw.oeh nigzmaa ============================================================================ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dondigitalia Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I read the scrambled words ok, but I did notice that it took quite a bit more focus (althought not SO intense that it hindered speed or comprehension) to interpret them than it would have had the words been spelled correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sailor Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I had to look around a little, but finally found this old business card I had, with a perception test on the back. Might be useful to your book. On it, was this statement: FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE- SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF- IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS. Now count the F's in the sentence. Count them only once and do not go back and count them again. Please also read the follow on post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sailor Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Most people taking the test count 3 "F's" when the correct value is 6 "F's". The reason for this I read some where has to with the brains ability to filter out small words , less then three letters. Small words are used so often you automatically inject them yourself. Probably why even if someone who has bad grammar, like me, you can read sentence missing small words and still understand. (notice the "a" missing between the word "read" and "sentence". You might have noticed the "a" was missing, however, you probably still automatically when reading placed it back into the sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amagi Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 That's so annoying. That was the third time I've fallen for that "of" trick! And I was even thinking about the last time I did--not specifically about the word "of," just that I remembered you can skip small words. But I still read it fast enough to count only 3 Fs.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I am now on my way to my thesis on "Rules of Good 'Aarganm' Puzzle Design". Maybe some government agency will pay me to pursue this. Actually, even for the government, I'm afraid you will have to lift the bar if you want funding. You would be amazed to discover just how much work regularly goes on surrounding language processing and comprehension from widely different perspectives. In addition to the language specialists themselves, and the experimental psychologists who accompany them, there are the cognitive scientists interested in brain function and language, and those who use neuroimaging as techniques for connecting cognitive and brain functions in language processing. If you surveyed the literature in the major journals, you would be inundated with papers and approaches which seek to understand, on one level or another, how words and their meaning are processed. This goes back many years in scientific research. I have several papers from the 1880s which, in one form or another, began serious scientific investigation in this or related areas. For instance, one paper from 1886 acknowledges the work in physiological psychology in comparing the times necessary for perceiving and thinking processes. A few decades earlier, in 1850, the great scientist Hermann Helmholtz was able to measure the speed by which nervous impulses traveled. People began measuring reaction times and other measures of mental and physiological processes. In this particular paper they detail a number of experiments, one of them having to do with the processing of words. Another paper from 1889 focused on how to use reading as an assist in teaching language to the deaf. In order to place value on this they needed to study the means and methods of language processing, from simple things like repetition of words to understanding and comprehension. The unusal bottom line conclusion made was "I would have a deaf child read books in order to learn the language, instead of learning the language in order to read books." Interesting observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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