Do People See your Inverted Reflection?

Ever since the invention of mirrors, people have been fascinated by their own reflections. We know that as fun as it seems, looking at our reflection is not pleasing to the eye but we still do it anyway. So what about people who can’t see themselves in a mirror? One thing is for sure: they are missing out on a lot of fun! This article takes a closer look at how some people see their inverted reflection and whether or not society sees them as different.

Using personal experiences, scientific evidence, and social research, this article will ensure you know everything there is to know about inverted perceptions in what is an interesting yet controversial subject.

First of all, why do we see our reflection “inverted” in the mirror?

Well, it would seem obvious but the short answer is perspective. We are used to seeing things from a certain angle and view, so when we see ourselves looking back at ourselves in the mirror, it is from a different angle and viewpoint. This can be explained with simple geometry in that there are two points of perspective (you as the observer and you reflected in the mirror) and a plane of reflection.

The difference between these two points results in an inverted image as it will appear to be ‘flipped’ because of how the brain interprets it. In fact, the popular saying “I see my reflection inverted” means that people can only see themselves from the outside perspective.

Do other people see you inverted even in the real world?

This has become a controversial topic over the decades. And the simple answer to this question is “no”. People see their reflection inverted in the “mirror world”. It is only when they go out into the real world that they are freer of the “mirror-image” which is why mirror illusion phenomenon like the “Vanishing Urn” is so fascinating.

It has been argued however that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia may not be able to differentiate between the two perspectives. This could lead to more difficulty in perceiving reality and processing information as traditionally it would be processed from only one perspective.

Recent research has also shown that people with ASD are able to detect visual illusions better than the general population. Scientists believe this is due to the inability to filter out irrelevant information and have a greater capacity for processing what they see. This could explain why our brains can recognize something different in a mirror even though it looks exactly the same.

Bottom Line

It’s not an absolutely weird, senseless thought to come to our mind, that other people might see our inverted reflection, just like we see ourselves in the mirror. But, the obvious answer to this question is always a no. And, although there is no scientific evidence to prove this, it leaves the possibility that people do see our reflection inverted, but only in their own world.