This is where the word "pareidolia" first appeared in the contemporary lexicon:
It appeared in an article <b>Rorschach Icons</b> written by Joe Nickell in the November-December, 2004 issue of the Skeptical Inquirer:
"If the depictions are of religious figures, they are sometimes popularly termed apparitions or religious visions (e.g., Virgin Mary 2003). However, they are quite different from the internalized viewings by visionaries which typically are unseen by ordinary folk. Rather, they are more or less visible to everyone, representing simply the ink-blot or picture-in-the-clouds effect: the minds tendency to recognize pictures in random patterns. This tendency is known as <b>pareidolia</b>, a neurological/psychological phenomenon by which the brain interprets vague images as specific ones. These are known as simulacra (DeAngelis 1999; Novella 2001)."
Note: Nickell never provides a reference for "pareidolia" and his poorly written sentence intermingles the definition of simulacra with pareidolia.
Zip Monster
