Necker Cube

Definition

The Necker cube is an optical illusion consisting of a simple wire-frame drawing of a cube with no visual cues as to its orientation, so it can be interpreted in two different ways regarding which side is at the front.

Related terms

Ambiguous Figures: These are images or objects that allow for more than one interpretation. The Necker Cube falls into this category!

Perceptual Set:

This refers to our readiness or predisposition to perceive something in accordance with what we expect it to be. If someone tells you that the front face of the Necker Cube is on the left, you might be more likely to see it that way first.

Depth Perception:

This involves judging distance and perceiving three dimensions from two-dimensional images. It's what allows us to interpret the flat image of the Necker Cube as a 3D object.