Pareidolia
By AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16676)
Boston, Massachusetts
August 28, 2015 2:26pm CST
Earlier today, I spotted a lone cloud in an endlessly blue sky. Just the one, small cloud. At first, it didn't seem interesting enough to take a photograph of, but then I noticed the image in the cloud. It was a sweet little puppy face. I rushed in to find a device with which to capture this sky doggy, but alas, by the time I returned, the cloud had become torn and bits of it had been pulled across the sky, leaving nothing but a trail of wispy memories.
Everyone sees shapes in the clouds. It's what humans do. We are naturally wired to seek out familiar patterns and images that help us make sense of the world. Seeing shapes and patterns in things that are truly random - like cloud formations - is called pareidolia.
But I think that some of it must be influenced by our own experiences as well. I am not sure we always see the same shapes in the clouds as others do, but in most cases, the perception is remarkably similar. That's why we can nudge one another and say "look at the dragon in the clouds" and our friends don't call the men in white coats to come take us away.
Have you seen anything interesting in the clouds today?
11 people like this
10 responses
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
29 Aug 15
I was just discussing clouds with Hubby. As we are dry out here, I wonder if this is the reason why we are not really seeing clouds very often - where are our clouds? Instead of billowing white puffiness, we see seas of cloud seas - more like a sign of too much humidity in the air rather than shapes. Looking outside right now, I see blue and only blue . . . not a single cloud in sight!!!!
2 people like this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
29 Aug 15
@Rollo1 But in Southern California, our calendar is all mixed up. We had a mild summer until August hit - and then the heat like our normal summers have started up. We get those storm looking clouds, but never a storm (we have this lovely drought). I used to love finding "things" in the clouds - but these days it's a fascination to even see a cloud period!!
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
28 Aug 15
You gave me a new word, pariedolia. I saw a face looking down on earth last night as the sun set. Her hair was wild and windblown.
2 people like this
@owstalaga (4825)
• Philippines
29 Aug 15
Ah I love sky watching. I used to cloud watch all the time as a kid. I love doing it but I seldom get to do it nowadays. It is fun and enjoyable to find dragons and other ordinary or "magical" things in the sky. 
1 person likes this
@owstalaga (4825)
• Philippines
29 Aug 15
@Rollo1 Yeah it's mesmerizing to watch them transform into a lot of different things. It's fun!
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
28 Aug 15
I haven't today Anja, but your cloud is most deserving of the photo, a lovely photo and thought my friend.
I really like the way you wrote this discussion, such nice descriptions, it took me away from dreariness for a moment.
Thank you.
1 person likes this
@jhechorain (1198)
• Susanville, California
28 Aug 15
I like the definition and your story. I love to see beautiful cloud formations. I haven't seen very many interesting shapes lately but perhaps soon. Too bad you hadn't captured it for a picture.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
28 Aug 15
Thank you for teaching me a new vocabulary today - pareidolia. I like looking at the clouds since I was young, and I always imagine the clouds as some familiar patterns. Now only I know it's so common, and there's a term for it. I like to point at the interesting clouds to my children and ask them what they see too.
Well, I think I have not look at the sky for the clouds today, but only saw the moon in the evening.
1 person likes this
@glenniah (1197)
• Mandurah, Australia
29 Aug 15
Today the sky was heavy with dark clouds and a lot of rain. Later on when Deisel Dog and I were out walking I observed the sun shining through small slowly moving clouds. I was thinking how can I use this as a discussion on My Lot. Then I read your post and thought I will send it right here. I love the name, I look at clouds all the time and from both sides now,
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
29 Aug 15
You know, I never went outside today and looked up. I baby sat Jack today and he was sick so I stayed in.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54715)
• United States
1 Sep 15
My mama does this all the time. She finds images in the clouds everyday.
