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New Study Explores the Challenges of Making Magic Accessible to People with Visual Impairments
Magic has long captivated audiences by making the impossible seem real, with most tricks heavily relying on visual illusions. From pulling a rabbit out of a hat to sawing someone in half, these spectacles mesmerize onlookers, primarily through what they see. However, a recent study, published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences on October 4, delves into why creating magic solely through sound—particularly for those who are blind—remains rare and challenging.
The study, led by Associate Professor Gustav Kuhn from the University of Plymouth, explores how magic could be experienced by people with blindness, posing the question: Why haven’t we seen more auditory magic tricks? “Given that magic is about the conflict between perceptual processes and our beliefs, we should be able to experience magic in other senses, but it turned out to be really difficult,” says Kuhn. He notes that individuals born blind have likely never experienced the wonder of a magic trick. This led him and his team to investigate whether it’s possible to craft magical experiences using sound alone.
The scarcity of sound-based magic could be linked to how differently our brains process visual and auditory information. Humans are innately visual creatures. We often trust what we see more than what we hear, which may explain why visual deceptions—such as sleight of hand or optical illusions—are so effective. In contrast, sound is transient, offering information about an event after it has happened, making it more challenging to manipulate in the context of magic. Visual perception reflects the current state of the world, while auditory perception captures something momentary.
Kuhn explains this distinction with a simple example: “If you see a trumpet, you don’t say, ‘I saw a perception of a trumpet,’ but if you hear a trumpet, you’re more likely to say, ‘I heard the sound of a trumpet.’” This subtle difference in how we process sight and sound could be a key reason why auditory magic remains elusive.
Interestingly, auditory illusions do exist in various forms, often outside the realm of traditional magic. For instance, stereo sound systems manipulate the timing of sound between our ears to create the illusion that noise is coming from different directions. Similarly, film soundtracks use the Shepard tone—a cleverly designed auditory illusion—to create the sensation of an endlessly rising pitch, evoking tension and unease.
Despite the inherent challenges, Kuhn and his team are not giving up on the idea of auditory magic. To push the boundaries of what is possible, they launched a competition inviting magicians to design tricks that rely entirely on sound. The results of this competition, expected in November 2024, could mark the beginning of a new era in the art of magic, potentially making the experience more inclusive for those with visual impairments.
Kuhn believes that while most magic relies on vision, it’s worth exploring how other senses could play a role in creating a magical experience. “Magic should not rely on vision alone, and yet it’s nearly impossible to perform a trick that does not involve our visual perception,” he says. “We don’t fully understand why yet, but this is an interesting question that invites more investigation into our senses and may help make magic more inclusive.”
As the world becomes more conscious of accessibility, Kuhn’s work offers a thought-provoking insight into how entertainment, including magic, can evolve to engage all audiences, regardless of their ability to see.
The research, which was supported by the Agence Nationale de Recherche grant, opens the door to innovative possibilities for creating magical moments beyond sight, ensuring that everyone can share in the wonder of the seemingly impossible.
