The Science Behind Abstract Storytelling

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Published 2020-08-15
Does a story need words? Does a tale need specifics? Does a picture need color? The brain does a good job of noticing patterns and filling in the blanks when it’s running low on information. And because of this, fan theories and speculation can be every bit as engaging as the content itself. But why are humans so naturally talented at explaining the unclear? That’s exactly what we're here to discuss today.

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▶Games Shown

Journey (2012) - That Game Company
Limbo (2010) - PlayDead
Inside (2016) - PlayDead
Celeste (2018) - Matt Makes Games
Hyper Light Drifter (2016) - Heart Machine
Gris (2018) - Nomada Studio
The Gardens Between (2018) - The Voxel Agents
Way to the Woods (2020) - Anthony Tan
Flower (2009) - That Game Company
Control (2019) - Remedy Entertainment
Detroit Become Human (2018) - David Cage
Ghost of Tsushima (2020) - Sucker Punch Productions
Hollow Knight (2017) - Team Cherry
The Witness (2016) - Jonathan Blow
Child of Light (2014) - Ubisoft Montreal


▶Clips/Movies Shown

Inception (2010)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Carole & Tuesday (2019)
The Incredibles (2004)
SpongeBob SquarePants (since always)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
The Big Bang Theory (2007)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
Interstellar (2014)
Billy Madison (1995)
Watchmen (2009)
Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (2009)


▶Music Sources:

Brethren, Arise - Chris Zabriskie
SAINT PEPSI - T.K.O
Overworld Theme - Final Fantasy VII OST
Donkey Kong ▸ Aquatic Ambiance - Super Lofi World
Above the Clouds - SHIKIMO & Gibarian
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask "Song of Healing" (Lofi) - Mattox
Under Two Palms - Distant Desires
Kansetsu Ki...... (間接キ......) - Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai OST vol. 115.


▶Research Articles Cited

Apparent Behavior (Shape Study)
www.all-about-psychology.com/fritz-heider.html
VID:    • An experimental study of apparent beh...  

Ascribing Meaning to Meaningless Even
www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/your-money/the-perils-o…

Animating Anthropomorphism: Giving Minds To Geometric Shapes:
blogs.scientificamerican.com/thoughtful-animal/ani…

Kahneman Fast and Slow Thinking:
www.passeidireto.com/arquivo/79230200/daniel-kahne…

Apophenia357:
zhi100.blogspot.com/2007/07/blurred-vision-apophen…

prezi.com/hqggexd_fmma/new-forms-of-storytelling/?…

Jesus on your toast:
www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/05/06/jesus_on_toast…

Dopamine and Patterns:
www.researchgate.net/publication/26705564_Dopamine…


*All images, graphics, and fonts created or found with postermywall.com, Pexels.com, Videvo.net, and Lightworks v14 editing software. All gameplay footage captured with Elgato 60FPS recording device*

#PsychOfPlay

All Comments (21)
  • @Moley1Moleo
    Me at the start: "The shapes move around a little bit." Me after 83 seconds: "This is a domestic abuse scenario."
  • @rileyeld
    IKEA instructions become sentient and reenact the 5 stages of grief while trying to assemble a DOMBÅS
  • @_t1an
    Everyone's interpretation: "It's domestic violence" My interpretation: "Get off my lawn"
  • @Eichro
    that animation is highly unsettling, i was so concerned for the little dot
  • The comment within the video “It’s the kitchen scene from Jurassic Park” made me pause the video because I was laughing so hard.
  • @humanperson2775
    Daryl: I have a question, can you answer it? Gris Creators: No <3
  • @vanivanov9571
    The shapes do have human qualities. Because a human animated them. They put a lot of human character into that animation, it's quite impressive.
  • @TheBrew3
    Triangle was stuck in box then the other shapes helped him out of the box then started fighting and ended up breaking the box
  • @weedweeb9211
    I'm actually interested in that one person who didn't attribute that clip to humans. What did that person think the clip is about? What is their train of thought usually?
  • @albertmachine52
    Just started the video and what I see is a casual situation of domestic violence/abuse. Big triangle is dad, small one is mom, and the little circle is the kid, who hides behind the door while the parents fight. Then, his dad enters on the room and the kid escapes with his mom, hiding from the man.
  • @benedict6962
    Triangle was alone, others tried to socialize, issues occurred with the attempted "play", and Big Triangle viewed the act as an attack. Things spiraled from there.
  • @Not_Aaron_
    The start of the video definitely felt like family abuse and that the big triangle was abusive and at the end also wasn't happy with himself as the other shapes left.
  • @seasidedoe8905
    My interpretation: This was a short film about big triangle, small triangle and circle playing a game of 1v2 tag. The structure can be built & broken on a whim, and functions as a hiding spot.
  • @TwichaTwich
    What was the video about? Everyone else: "domestic violence" Me: SCP Containment Breach
  • @rubygamer5813
    5:11 I also have noticed from your dead cells video and others how many human choices are tied to loss aversion and I think this is also a situation like that, the prize: Going on a bus ride home on your usual stop and saving a couple minutes from walking to the OTHER bus stop is WAY lower than the uncertain ( but realistic ) outcome of the hooded figure ( who is using sunglasses in the middle of the night mind you ) robbing, kidnapping or harming you in any kind of way. And you barely get anything by taking that risk, just keep walking since ( and this common saying also ties to loss aversion ) ‘Better Safe than sorry ‘
  • @terrortalks3037
    Amazing how 60 seconds can make me feel sad to see a triangle repeatedly aggressing another triangle that has itxs back against the wall. Also, I was sure he was going to say something like "this is a scene from X horror movie".
  • @tristanneal9552
    Big triangle is a predator, blind but with the ability to hear his prey’s movements.
  • @Not_Aaron_
    This video felt like it was made for me I live games, series and movies with little explanation and making me theories the meaning of it and we always can have more videos defending Evangelion's ending :P
  • @duchi882
    Mama Dorito shows Papa Dorito that he has another child from another Chips (Ferb with Phineas' Mom and Dad arguing)
  • @mayoactual2065
    I actually learnt something. I learnt that the “I don’t need sleep, I need answers” is from The Big Bang Theory