Science sheds light on shaking your holiday presents

As holidays near, people are sneaking shakes of their presents to try to figure out what they're getting. But present shakers might be a little less sly than they think. New research shows it's incredibly easy for people watching others shake boxes to tell what they're up to. 'There are few things more delightful than seeing a child's eyes light up as they pick up a present and wonder what might be inside,' said author Chaz Firestone, a Johns Hopkins University assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences who investigates how vision and thought interact. 'What our work shows is that your mind is able to track the information they are seeking. Just as they might be able to tell what's inside the box by shaking it around, you can tell what they are trying to figure out when they shake it.'

As holidays near, people are sneaking shakes of their presents to try to figure out what they're getting. But present shakers might be a little less sly than they think. New research shows it's incredibly easy for people watching others shake boxes to tell what they're up to. 'There are few things more delightful than seeing a child's eyes light up as they pick up a present and wonder what might be inside,' said author Chaz Firestone, a Johns Hopkins University assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences who investigates how vision and thought interact. 'What our work shows is that your mind is able to track the information they are seeking. Just as they might be able to tell what's inside the box by shaking it around, you can tell what they are trying to figure out when they shake it.'

Read more https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114537.htm