Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1: Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory.
Science
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1: Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory.
Psychology, Experimental
The first aim of the experiments was to separate the factors of
resident and transient sensation, and to determine the part played by
the presence of a diversified visual field. To do so it was necessary
to ascertain, for each member of the experimental group, the location
of the subjective visual horizon, and the range of uncertainty in the
observer's location of points within that plane. Twelve observers in
all took part in the investigation. In the first set of experiments no
attempt was made to change the ordinary surroundings of the observer,
except in a single point, namely, the provision that there should be
no extended object within range of the subject's vision having
horizontal lines on a level with his eyes.
The arrangements for experimentation were as follows: A black wooden
screen, six inches wide and seven feet high, was mounted between two
vertical standards at right angles to the axis of vision of the
observer. Vertically along the center of this screen and over pulleys
at its top and bottom passed a silk cord carrying a disc of white
cardboard, 1 cm. in diameter, which rested against the black surface
of the screen. From the double pulley at the bottom of the frame the
two ends of the cord passed outward to the observer, who, by pulling
one or the other, could adjust the disc to any desired position. On
the opposite side of the screen from the observer was mounted a
vertical scale graduated in millimeters, over which passed a light
index-point attached to the silk cord, by means of which the position
of the cardboard disc in front was read off. The observer was seated
in an adjustable chair with chin and head rests, and a lateral
sighting-tube by which the position of the eyeball could be vertically
and horizontally aligned. The distance from the center of the eyeball
to the surface of the screen opposite was so arranged that, neglecting
the radial deflection, a displacement of 1 mm. in either direction was
equal to a departure of one minute of arc from the plane of the eyes'
horizon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account