Pinocchio-Illusion

The Pinocchio Illusion ( engl. Pinocchio illusion ) is an illusion that can be triggered by irritation of various muscle groups by vibration in the experiment, and causes a temporary disturbance of depth perception and thus sense of position of individual body parts.

For example, people who take themselves blindfolded at themselves, at the same time induced vibrations on the bicep of the same arm to feel her nose was up to 30 cm long. This also works if the person who holds the blindfolded one other person standing in front of her on the nose.

Cause is the disturbed by the vibrations of the arm position sense, which signals to the brain an increased stretching of the arm.

The phenomenon was first described in 1988 by James R. Lackner, son in law and long-standing partner of the NASA physician Prof. Ashton Graybiel ( 1902-1995 ).