We May See Faces in Patterns For Evolutionary Survival Reasons

Human minds are programmed to detect faces everywhere. From Brussels sprouts to an IKEA bathroom. It's due to pareidolia and not the fact that some people are crazy. When we notice patterns, we frequently arrange them into recognizable shapes in our minds.

In one study, 34% of individuals who were presented patterns that appeared to be gray static were able to recognize a face in them. The frontal and occipital regions of the brain, which are involved in planning and remembering, were active, according to brain imaging. According to one theory, this, followed by the right fusiform face area activation, which occurs when we view real faces, cooperate because we anticipate seeing something resembling a face.

There is an evolutionary component to one explanation for why this occurs. Face recognition is ingrained in us. Humans support one another, which is why society functions, but we also fear our foes. Understanding faces—whether good or bad—kept us as a species alive. Therefore, even if we occasionally make mistakes, our brains need to recognize them.