Dentists make larger-than-necessary holes in teeth if the teeth present a visual illusion of size R P O’Shea1, N P Chandler2, R Roy2 |
|---|
1Discipline of Psychology, Southern Cross University, Australia |
| There is very little prospective evidence that illusions can influence health-care treatment; we sought such evidence. We simulated treatment using dentistry as a model system. We supplied eight, practicing, specialist dentists with at least 21 isolated teeth, randomly sampled from a much larger sample of teeth they were likely to encounter. Teeth contained holes and we asked the dentists to cut cavities in preparation for filling. Each tooth presented a more or less potent version of a visual illusion of size, the Delboeuf illusion, that made the holes appear smaller than they were. Dentists and the persons measuring the cavities were blind to the parameters of the illusion. Cavity size was linearly related to the potency of the Delboeuf illusion (p < .01). When the illusion made the holes appear smaller, the dentists made cavities larger than needed. We conclude that the visual context in which treatment takes place can influence the treatment. Undesirable effects of visual illusions could be counteracted by a health practitioner’s being aware of them and by using measurement. |
| Up Home |
|---|