Abstract: Since the beginning of human breeding, there has been a constant conflict between progenitor and their offspring concerning the offspring's inability to detect the inappropriate distribution of the offspring's material items in the family unit's sheltering apparatus. We propose the "offspring Clutter Blindness Hypothesis" to explain that the offspring is unable to detect the change in the environment when their items are inappropriately distributed in the environment leading to a sheltering apparatus disorder ("clutter") immediately following organization. We present support concerning this "change blindness" phenomenon as support for our hypothesis and describe how it applies to dependent care.
Background
Since the beginning of time, successful breeding and/or adoption of dependents has lead to a great deal of strife within the family unit concerning the disorder of the family "household". The progenitors (i.e., "parents") typically complain that the offspring (i.e., "children") will "leave their toys and things everywhere". When the parents communicate the disorder in the sheltering apparatus, the children often state "what mess". This inability to observe the obvious has both concerned and frustrated parents since we have lived in caves. In fact it is hypothesized the this cave painting found in Santa Barbara depicts an illustration of the offspring's entertainment elements strewn within the cave (see graphic below)
We hypothesize that children suffer from a specific form of Change Blindness called "Dependent Clutter Blindness". This type of Change Blindness is associated with a child's inability to notice the difference between "clean house" and a "clean house" with their toys strewn "all over the living room". First, we present two demonstration of typical change blindness. There are two images being flashed back-to-back. Try to notice the differences between the two images. It may take you up to 1 minute to notice the difference so take some time to try and find the difference before moving on.
As a hint, if this change were to occur, you probably would not want to get on this airplane. Still, cannot see it? Take a look at the wing ... specifically the engine.
Skeptics might say that this example does not have any ecological validity (i.e., it does not happen in the real world). As further evidence that this happens in the real world we present two videos. Take a look at the following video as initial evidence of this phenomenon.
Furthermore, researchers Dan Simons at Harvard University completed the following study showing empirical evidence that 25% of college age students do not notice the people that they are talking to (a phenomenon well documented in many sororities, fraternities and bars).
Experiment
We interviewed 100 parents and 77% reported that they had to "point out" the clutter to their dependents 1-3 times a day, 22% reported the need to point out the clutter 4-7 times a day. 1% of the participants reported that they do not point out the clutter, but simply mumbled under their breaths and removed the items themselves due to the hardship it typically generated.
We also presented change blindness videos similar to the one below to 106 dependents while their parents stood behind a two-way mirror and watched their dependents try to detect the clutter. 0% of the dependents noticed the change between the two images after 2 minutes of viewing. 100% of the parents noticed the change immediately. 87% of the parents started to bang their heads against the two-way mirror while observing their dependents' inability to detect the clutter in the video. 16% of these parents had to be hospitalized while the other 84% had to be restrained in the observation room (while being restrained, the progenitors rocked back and forth mumbling to themselves). 12% of the parents began to cry in frustration and ended up in the fetal position on the floor of the observation room. The final 1% simply started to clean up the observation room, much to the researcher's frustration.
Conclusion
Much distress has occured in the family unit concerning the distribution of "clutter" throughout a family's shelter apparatus by dependents. We have identified that a great deal of the stress is due to the lack of acknowledgement and detection by the dependents concerning the "clutter". Our research demonstrates that there is a significant perceptual limitation concerning the detection of these items while the progenitors find these items easily detectible (and in some cases they are hyper-sensitive to these visual stimuli).
Unfortunately our research has only been able to identify the source of the problem (Clutter Blindness) and we do not believe that there is an ultimate cure. However, given that the progenitors were once dependents that most likely suffered from the same malady, there is strong evidence that this perceptual limitation goes away with age and/or with the acquisition of a dependent. Further research is clearly needed to identify if there are any rehabilitation methods to cure Clutter Blindness.
Science Papa holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science. And while he wishes this study were real, it is merely a figment of his frustrated parental imagination.
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