Another question was suggested by these results: Is it more agreeable
to have a series of repeated space forms nearer or farther apart
when a design is within? Does the design, by drawing attention to
itself (especially if it be markedly central), make the objects
demand narrower or wider interspacing? To test this question, four
blank strips of cardboard were hung behind the narrow window, and the
subjects arranged them at the distance apart which suited them best.
Then two other sets of cards, of the same size, but of different
designs, were hung successively the same way, and these arranged also
at the most agreeable distances. One decorated card had a circle within
a rectangle, the other a triangle of gilt stars. The judgments were
made in pairs, _i. e._ the blank cards and the one with the circular
design were arranged twice in succession; then the blank cards and the
star design. This gives three judgments for the blank cards, two for
the circular, and one for the star design, and the judgments are given
in full, since an average would disguise the point in question.
I II III
J. 50 50
55 52
55 50
S. 35 70
45 20
55 35
H. 85 75
90 65
U. 50 45
50 48
57 50
R. 45 25
15 10
45 23
L. 90 35
65 65
W. 20 10
25 10
25 0
V. 45 60
30 35
30 25
Although the favorite arrangements varied somewhat on the different
days, the _filled_ cards were with only four exceptions preferred
nearer together than the _empty_ ones at any one trial, and two of
these put them equal. (The choice of V. was affected by the fact
that the circular designs produced such strong after-images that he
was obliged to put them farther apart, to avoid confusion with the
real design.) The reason suggested by the subjects for a narrower
interspacing with decorated cards was that, when they attended to the
design, they paid no attention to the actual edge of the card, but
the card ended so far as its interest was concerned with the design.
Therefore they had to be nearer together to bring the _designs_, not
the whole field of the cards, into a series. If, then, the design
extended over all the card, and its interest was no more in the centre
than the ends, would this difference in interspacing cease to be
demanded?
Another series of cards was hung with a design of oblique lines over
the whole field, and these arranged as the others were, at the most
agreeable distances.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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