The Psychology of Visual Illusion

J. O. Robinson

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9780486404493
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486151182
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Optics & Light

A wealth of theories and knowledge about visual illusions receive a lucid and illuminating treatment in this richly illustrated book, an indispensable resource for students and researchers. Some 240 drawings, comprising one of the largest collections of visual illusions in one volume, offer examples of such phenomena as geometrical optical illusions (since this type of illusion is central to the topic, the treatment here is especially thorough), figural after-effects, illusions in the perception of depth and distance, illusions of movement in stationary displays, and illusions caused by moving stimuli.
In addition to articulate and thought-provoking commentaries on reports from the psychological literature, this volume offers an enlightening, well-rounded perspective on the countless ambiguities of visual display, with particular emphasis on geometricaloptical framing and contrast effects, distortion of angles and direction, and the apparent "movement" of images.
Ideal as an adjunct text in undergraduate psychology courses, the book assumes a knowledge of elementary visual anatomy, physiology and perceptions; however, most of the arguments and descriptions are self-contained and can be understood by themselves.
Besides its immense value for students, this volume will also, of course, appeal to anyone with an interest in the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying the optical illusions that dazzle the eye and challenge our notions of reality and perception.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

ADAM, J. ‘A note on visual illusions of direction’, Austral. J. Psychol., 1964, 16, 53-6.

ADAMS, H. F. ‘Autokinetic sensations’, Psychol. Monogr., 1912, 14, no. 2, 45 pp.

ADDAMS, R. ‘An account of a peculiar optical phenomenon seen after having looked at a moving body’, Phil. Mag., 1834, 3 ser., 5, 373.

AIBA, S. ‘The effects of stimulant and depressant drugs on the Bidwell phenomenon’, Brit. J. Psychol., 1960, 51, 311-18.

ALLPORT, D. A. ‘Temporal summation and phenomenal simultaneity: experiments with the radius display’, Quart. J. exp. Psychol., 1970, 22, 686-701.

ALPERN, M. ‘Metacontrast: historical introduction’, Amer. J. Optom., 1952, 29, 631—46.

ALPERN, M. ‘Metacontrast’, J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 1953, 43, 648-57.

AMES, A. ‘Visual perception and the rotating trapezoidal window’, Psychol. Monogr., 1951, 65, no. 7 (whole no. 324).

ANDREWS, D. P. ‘Perception of contour orientation in the central fovea, Pt. I: short lines’, Vision Res., 1967a, 1, 975-97.

ANDREWS, D. P. ‘Perception of contour orientation in the central fovea, Pt. II: spatial integration’, Vision Res., 1967b, 1, 999-1013.

ANSBACHER, H. L. ‘Distortion in the perception of real movement’, J. exp. Psychol., 1944, 34, 1—23.

ANSTIS, S. M. ‘Visual adaptation to gradual change of intensity’, Science, 1967, 155, 710—12.

ANSTIS, S. M., and ATKINSON, J. ‘Distortions in moving figures viewed through a stationary slit’, Amer. J. Psychol., 1967, 80, 572-85.

ANSTIS, S. M., and MOULDEN, B. P. ‘After effect of seen movement: evidence for peripheral and central components’, Quart. J. exp. Psychol., 1970, 22, 222-9.

ARDEN, G. V., and WEALE, R. A. ‘Variations of the latent period of vision’, Proc. Roy. Soc., 1954, B, 142, 258.

ARNULF, A., and DUPUY, O. ‘Contribution à l’étude des microfluctuations d‘accommodation de l’œil’, Rev. Opt. theor. instrum., 1960,39, 195-208.

ASCH, S. H., and WITKIN, H. A. ‘Studies in space orientation: II. Perception of the upright with displaced visual fields and with body tilted’, J. exp. Psychol., 1948, 38, 455—77.

AUBERT, H. ‘Eine scheinbare bedentende Drehung von Objekten bei Neigung des Kopfes nach rechts oder links’, Virchows. Arch. Path. Anat. Physiol., 1861, 20, 381—93.

AUBERT, H. ‘Die Bervegungsempfindung’, Arch. ges. Physiol., 1887, 40, 459-79.

AUSTIN, M., SINGER, G., and DAY, R. H. ‘Visual orientation illusion following judgments with a tilted visuai field’, Nature, 1969, 221, 583-4.

AVERY, G. C., and DAY, R. H. ‘Basis of the horizontal-vertical illusion’, J. exp. Psychol., 1969, 81, 376-80.

BAGLEY, F. W. ‘An investigation of Fechner’s colour’, Amer. J. Psychol., 1902, 13, 488-525.

BALDWIN, J. M. ‘The effect of size contrast upon judgements of position in the retinal field’, Psychol. Rev., 1895, 2, 244—59.

BALES, J. F., and FOLLANSBEE, G. L. ‘The after-effect of perception of curved lines’, J. exp. Psychol., 1935, 18, 499-503.

BARLOW, H. B., and BRINDLEY, G. S. ‘Inter-ocular transfer of movement after-effects during pressure blinding of the stimulated eye’, Nature, 1963, 200, 1347 only.

BARLOW, H. B., and HILL, R. M. ‘Evidence for a physiological explanation of the waterfall phenomenon and figural after-effects’, Nature, 1963, 200, 1345-7.

BATES, M. ‘A study of the Müller-Lyer illusion, with special reference to paradoxical movement and the effect of attitude’, Amer. J. Psychol., 1923, 34, 46-72.

BAUERMEISTER, M. ‘Effect of body tilt on apparent verticality, apparent body position, and their relation’, J. exp. Psychol., 1964, 67, 142-7.

BAUMANN, C. ‘Beiträge zur Physiologie des Sehens: IV. Subjektive Farbener-scheinungen’, Arch. ges. Physiol., 1912, 146, 543-52.

BEERY, K. E. ‘Estimation of angles’, Percept. Mot. Skills, 1968, 26, 11-14.

BÉKÉSY G. VON ‘Brightness distribution across Mach bands measured with flicker photometry and the linearity of sensory nervous interaction’, J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 1968, 58, 1—8

BENUSSI, V. ‘Über den Einfluss der Farbe auf Grösse der Zöllnerischen Täuschung’, Z. für Psychol., 1902, 29, 264-351 & 385-433.

BERGMAN, R. and GIBSON, J. J. ‘The negative after-effect of the perception of a surface slanted in the third dimension’, Amer. J. Psychol., 1959, 72, 364.

BERGSTRÖM, S. S. ‘A paradox in the perception of luminance gradients. I’, Scand. J. Psychol., 1966, 7, 209-24.

BERGSTRÖM, S. S. ‘A paradox in the perception of luminance gradients. II’, Scand. J. Psychol., 1967a, 8, 25—32.

BERGSTRÖM, S. S. ‘A paradox in the perception of luminance gradients. III’, Scand. J. Psychol., 1967b, 8, 33-7.

BERLINER, A., and BERLINER, S. ‘The distortion of straight and curved lines in geometric fields’, Amer. J. Psychol., 1948, 61, 153-66.

BERRY, J. W. ‘Ecology, perceptual development and the Müller-Lyer illusion’, Brit. J. Psychol., 1968, 59, 205-10.

BEZOLD, W. VON. Die Farbenlehrer im Hinblick auf Kunst und Kunstgewerbe, Brunswick, Westermann, 1874.

BEZOLD, W. VON. ‘Eine perspektivische Täuschung’, Poggend. Annalen, 1884, 23, 351—2.

BIDWELL, S. ‘On the recurrent images following visual imoressions’ Proc Roy. Soc., 1894, 56, 132-45.

BIDWELL, S. ‘On subjective colour phenomena attending sudden changes of illumination’, Proc. Roy. Soc., 1896, 60, 368-77.

BIDWELL, S. ‘On the negative after-images following brief retinal excitation’, Proc. Roy. Soc., 1897, 61, 268—71.

BIDWELL, S. ‘Curiosities of Light and Sight’, Sonnenschein, London, 1899.

BINET, A. ‘La mesure des illusions visuelles chez les enfants’, Rev. Philos., 1895, 40, 11—25.

BLAKEMORE, C., and CAMPBELL, F. W. ‘On the existence of neurones in the human visual system selectively sensitive to the orientation and size of retinal images’, J. Physiol., 1969, 203, 237—60.

BLAKEMORE, C., and SUTTON, P. ‘Size adaptation: A new after-effect’, Science, 1969, 166, 245—7.

BLAKEMORE, C., CARPENTER, R. H. S., and GEORGESON, M. A. ‘Lateral inhibition between orientation detectors in the human visual system’, Nature, 1970, 228, 37—9.

BLAKEMORE, C., and COOPER, G. ‘Development of the brain depends on the visual environment’, Nature, 1970, 228, 477-8.

BLIX, M. ‘Die sog. Poggendorff’sche optische Täuschungen’, Skand. Arch. Physiol., 1902, 13, 193-228.

BLUM, A. C. ‘Photic stimulation, imagery and alpha rhythm’, J. Ment. Sci., 1956, 102, 160-7.

BORING, E. G. Sensation and perception in the ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• PREFACE TO THE DOVER EDITION
• PREFACE
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• I - INTRODUCTION
• 2 - THE GEOMETRICAL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS (I)
• 3 - THE GEOMETRICAL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS (II)
• 4 - THE GEOMETRICAL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS (III): SOME SUBJECT VARIABLES AND SOME SPECIAL STUDIES
• 5 - FIGURAL AFTER-EFFECTS
• 6 - THEORIES OF THE GEOMETRICAL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
• 7 - ILLUSIONS OF DEPTH AND DISTANCE
• 8 - ILLUSIONS FROM BRIGHTNESS CONTRAST
• 9 - ILLUSIONS OF MOVEMENT FROM STATIONARY STIMULI
• 1O - ILLUSIONS FROM MOVING STIMULI
• 11 - ILLUSIONS FROM STIMULI IN RAPID SEQUENCE
• EPILOGUE
• APPENDIX TO THE DOVER EDITION
• BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
• INDEX OF AUTHORS - (Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations)
• INDEX OF SUBJECTS - (Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations)
• A CATALOG OF SELECTED DOVER BOOKS IN ALL FIELDS OF INTEREST
• DOVER SCIENCE BOOKS