Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and ApplicationsLuckiesh, Matthew
Science
Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications
Luckiesh, Matthew
Optical illusions
If two similar objects, such as the points of a compass, are viewed
binocularly and their lateral distance apart is altered, the observer is
conscious of a third dimensional movement. Inasmuch as the accommodation
is unaltered but convergence must be varied as the lateral distance
between the two, the explanation of the illusion must consider the latter.
The pair of compass-points are very convenient for making a demonstration
of this pronounced illusion. The relation of size and distance easily
accounts for the illusion.
Obviously this type of illusion cannot be illustrated effectively by means
of diagrams, so the reader must be content to watch for them himself. Some
persons are able voluntarily to produce illusory movements in the third
dimension, but such persons are rare. Many persons have experienced
involuntary illusions of depth. Carr found, in a series of classes
comprising 350 students, 58 persons who had experienced involuntary depth
illusions at some time in their lives. Five of these also possessed
complete voluntary control over the phenomenon. The circumstances
attending visual illusions of depth are not the same for various cases,
and the illusions vary widely in their features.
Like other phases of the subject, this has been treated in many papers,
but of these only one will be specifically mentioned, for it will suffice.
Carr[3] has studied this type of illusion comparatively recently and
apparently quite generally, and his work will be drawn upon for examples
of this type. Apparently they may be divided into four classes: (1) Those
of pure distance; that is, an object may appear to be located at varying
distances from the observer, but no movement is perceived. For example, a
person might be seen first at the true distance; he might be seen next
very close in front of the eyes; then he might suddenly appear to be quite
remote; (2) illusions of pure motion; that is, objects are perceived as
moving in a certain direction without any apparent change in location. In
other words, they appear to move, but they do not appear to traverse
space; (3) illusions of movement which include a change in location. This
appears to be the most common illusion of depth; (4) those including a
combination of the first and third classes. For example, the object might
first appear to move away from its true location and is perceived at some
remote place. Shortly it may appear in its true original position, but
this change in location does not involve any sense of motion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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