How fast does the human brain recognise object?

Um.. I guess it depends on the human whose brain it is, and if you've taken any drugs that effect thought process. I'd say it must be in the millisecond range though

Would you say when you look at an object you instantly know what it is, or do you ever see something and have a second thought to what it might be?

Well I personally am an anomaly, since I suffer a myriad of mental health problems some of which give me audio and visual hallucinations, which are not made better by recreational drug use. Sometimes I see things which don't exist, so I always have to stop and think just in case it's not real.

If it's a familiar object like a table or chair, I'd say I know instantaneously, but an abstract art sculpture would probably floor me for a good few seconds.

Is this for a project of some sort or are you just curious? I love learning about the brain, it's so mysterious and weird

Does anything go through your head at the point of recognition when you see a familiar object and you recognise it ?

I'm just doing some research for my thesis really.

I don't think so, it's a subconscious recognition really isn't it, I'd say most people are so used to seeing familiar objects day in day out that they don't even acknowledge them with conscious thought - I don't think "oh look, a table" every time I see a table, but I know it is there and I recognise it instantly for what it is... it's hard to break down the thought process really

I see, so what would happen in your mind exactly when you for example see a table and recognise it.

I know for a fact the object is isolated from its surroundings, basically you focus in on the table and everything else becomes peripheral vision. But then what happens?

Your guess is as good as mine, I don't know too much about neurology, sorry. What if I was looking at something ON the table, I'd still see the table and know it was there, but I wouldn't be focusing on it in the slightest...

I don't think so, it's a subconscious recognition really isn't it, I'd say most people are so used to seeing familiar objects day in day out that they don't even acknowledge them with conscious thought - I don't think "oh look, a table" every time I see a table, but I know it is there and I recognise it instantly for what it is... it's hard to break down the thought process really

If you could tell me exactly how you recognise a table I would be so so grateful for my thesis.

I don't know what you want me to say, I don't know how I recognise a table, I guess I already have prior knowledge of what a table is, so I see one in my focused or peripheral vision, subconsciously acknowledge and recognise it, and so know that it is a table?

It all happens in the blink of an eye and it's an unconscious thought process, so I can't really break it down much further, I'm sorry

Ok, thank you

Can you identify anything occurring consciously in your head when you are recognising a table, or is everything subconscious?

I've just read the posts on this thread so far and I've been trying to come up with my own response xD my only problem is that I'm looking around my room and all the objects here are very familiar to me so recognition is immediate... Not only because of the memory of them being in certain places in my room but also the schema of each object so it's really though to say... I guess if I came into my room and everything was rearranged, taped to the ceiling and painted purple I'd have to think about it for much longer, both subconsciously (recognising the objects) and consciously (why and who the hell did this?) - but all that seems obvious to me


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everything was rearranged, taped to the ceiling and painted purple

Haha, that would be an awesome prank to play on someone. :P

Its definitely in the millisecond range, exact figure should depend on who's brain were talking about and what object. Regarding the process, I studied this two years ago and its something along these lines:

For example, table recognition



Though this process seems rather long, its so fast we don't realise it, and more, its unconscious!

Check out Agnosia, a disorder in which people have difficulties recognising objects and faces, though they can see everything perfectly. Thought to be related to broken link between the above points 2 and 3, hence though people could see, they cannot relate what they see, to what they know already.

Hope this helps, good luck with your Thesis.

I see, so is there any conscious part to the recognition process or is it all unconscious completely.

Oh and a THANK YOU for that post as well.

I think it depends on how you define conscious and unconscious. Considering that all of these processes happen without effort, without having to think let me compare this object to my existing schemas, I'm guessing its mainly, if not completely, unconscious.