07/03/2026
THATCHER EFFECT // This optical illusion was first demonstrated by a psychologist, Peter Thompson, in 1980, using a photo of the then-British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.
Why does it happen?
Your brain pays close attention to the relationships between features like the eyes, nose, and mouth. When a face is upside down, processing is much less effective, so you’re less likely to notice that the eyes and mouth have been inverted. Once the face is upright again, your brain immediately detects the distorted and grotesque nature of the facial transformation.
I love showing this case in my lectures as a way to remind clinicians/technicians that sometimes it helps remember that cases and patients are not always what they appear to be and it helps to change your perspective from time to time.
Big hugs from Maine 🙃🌲
