Psychology
Psychology is a prime example because you learn about how the brain takes information and processes it. Everone's brain perceives things differently based on their life experiences and their genetics. Our brain has different hemispheres which carry out separate functions. The left side of the brain processes information, therefore it is analytical and logical. On the other hand, the right side is emotional, creative, and thinks outside the box. Each person can take one piece of information and perceive it completely different based on which hemisphere is their dominate one. Certain tests can be taken to see how and why you react to different situations. Here is a fun test to take!http://www.ipn.at/ipn.asp?BHX
Depth perception is another unit in psychology that deals with reality and appearance. We have to decide how close things are and often misjudge. Items might appear to be closer or farther than they actually are or their size might also be misleading. They don't necessarily have two different identities, but the way we perceive them gives them different characteristics. Take these tests to see how well your depth perception is!
http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/psychsim5/Visual%20Illusions/PsychSim_Shell.html
Art
Art is one of those subjects that is always up to interpretation. Many works of art are made to be very abstract. They express different emotions and are perceived differently based on the viewer. Someone who was just fired from work may see more of the harsh colors such as the red and black. They would think that this painting is made up of angry faces. On the other hand, someone who just got a promotion and is enjoying life would take in all of the soft pastels and the flowing shapes. We will never know what the true reality is of this painting because the author wanted it to mean something differently to each person. Each person's perception of the painting becomes its identity.
Some pieces have a drawing inside a drawing, giving the art several different identities-the bigger picture and the small pictures that make up the whole piece of art. This painting shows an old couple still in love, but if you look closely, you can see their young selves when their love was first starting to blossom. We can try to put on what ever persona we want, but in reality, we can never truly escape our past because it is what shapes our actions, thoughts, and feelings.
Other art works have a picture that makes another picture. The first identity of this painting is the horses, bird, and mountain which is the true identity. The second one is the woman's head that is created from the horses, bird, and mountain, but that is just an illusion made up by the little details. It is always a good idea to first look at the bigger picture of a situation in order to get an overall understanding of it, but be sure to study the hidden details. Even though they are not always true, they can give a different meaning to it and should influence how we react.
Science
We can also see this issue of appearance vs. reality in many science experiments. The big bang after adding mentos to a bottle of coke appears to be immensely complicated as the soda erupts and flows everywhere, simulating a volcano, yet if we really think about what the procedure, we find that the experiment is quite simple. All you have to do is drop one mentos into a bottle and BAM!!!! The experiment appears big and the reaction seems complicated. It does a great job impressing people, but in reality it is very easy to achieve. Many times we try to enhance and play up aspects in our lives in order to impress others because truthfully they are dull and boring. This deceptionis used to build self confidence. A good question to ask would be: Why would you want to be proud of a life that's not yours?
