One of the most well-known optical illusions of all time is this old lady/young lady picture. Which do you 
see first – the old one or the young? They’re both there. Hint: the necklace of the young woman is the mouth of the old one; the nose of the old lady is the chin of the young one.
Here at the Mind Tripping Show, we’re fascinated by all the ways our Married 2 Magic couple, Christian and Katalina, incorporate surprise into each performance. Do people actually like being surprised, we used to wonder? The answer, we learned, is a resounding “Yes!”
In fact, a scientific study highlighted on ABC News sheds some light on the reason people take pleasure from surprises. “Apparently the brain’s pleasure centers are more ‘turned on’ when we experience unpredictable pleasant things,” explains Dr. Amy Malick. At Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine, researchers used MRI brain scans to measure changes in response to a sequence of pleasurable surprises. Squirting liquids into the mouths of participants at both predictable and unpredictable intervals, the scientists found that one of the pleasure centers of the brain (the nucleus accumbens) was much more active when participants didn’t know when to expect the squirt, or whether they’d get juice or water.
To entertain a variety of audiences, the Mind Tripping Show uses the element of surprise in ways that appeal to all. Inc. Magazine, in a piece about employee recognition, says “Birthday presents are nice, but unexpected gifts make an even bigger impact. Unexpected recognition is always more powerful, too.”
“Young” and “old” are just states of mind when it comes to the rewarding surprises at the Mind Tripping Show!
– by O.P. of the Mind Tripping blog team