Model of information process for neuromagic

Abstract

In this work, I structure the magical knowledge around the neuroscientific literature. For that, I present a theoretical neuropsychological model to illustrate how magic tricks can interfere with different processes of the information flow. This model combines different memory stages, the perceptual pathway, the emergence of attention and the consciousness threshold to provide a holistic picture of how magic functions from the neuroscientific perspective. Following the model, I also present a misdirection definition and classification that is more accurate with the biological reality than the existing ones.

Misdirection: model of information process for neuromagic

“…Misdirection is been defined and classified in multiple ways for different magicians. For the first time, we will support with a model of neural activity, a recent misdirection classification (Bestue, 2019). The model reproduced the efficiency and provided a neural explanation for each of the three different subcategories of misdirection proposed by the classification: "direction", "division" and "diminishment".…”

“…Defining misdirection with accuracy is controversial. In a previous paper, I defined it as "those actions of a magic trick that influence the attention of the spectator to conceal the method used" (Bestue, 2019). In that publication, I proposed a classification of this term based on how attention was biased generating different outputs.…”

“…In that publication, I proposed a classification of this term based on how attention was biased generating different outputs. I differentiated between "direction" (moving attention from one initial focus to another), "division" (generating a competition between to relevant focus) and "diminishment" (reducing the detection threshold) (Bestue, 2019). Together with the definition, I provided a theoretical neuropsychological model to explain them.…”

Forcing techniques & Neuroscience

“…A core concept in magic literature is " misdirection " ( Ascanio, 1964 ;Sharpe 1988 ;Kuhn et al, 2014 ). In a previous work, I defined misdirection as "those actions of a magic trick that influence the attention of the spectator to conceal the method used" ( Bestue, 2019 ). As forcing techniques are, by definition, "methods", they will use misdirection whenever they exploit some sort of attentional manipulation with concealing intention.…”

“…The direction form of misdirection refers to moving attention from one initial focus to another and many forcing techniques exploit that principle. In my misdirection classification ( Bestue, 2019 ), I made a further distinction according to how the focus of attention is changed between or within external and internal tracking. In the context of forcing techniques, direction is usually applied to move attention away from the deck (external-external) to make a certain sleight of hand undetected.…”