Figural Aftereffects Research Articles

Acuity and the statistical theory of figural aftereffects.

Acuity and the statistical theory of figural aftereffects.

Are figural after-effects dependent upon age?

A sample of 30 twelve year old children and one of 52 adults of varying age underwent an experiment in which the so-called size-effect in kinesthesis was measured. With regard to sex no differences were found. Both samples have been compared with each other with reference to (a) the size of the effect, (b) the slope of the decline of the effect with time after the stimulation, (c) the frequency of occurence of an opposite effect, (d) the goodness of fit of the decrease in size to a logarithmic function of time. With respect to these four points no significant differences were found between both samples. Besides, results have been mentioned concerning the bilateral kinesthetic difference and the personal tempo. Finally our results have been discussed in relation to those of other authors.

The distance paradox of the figural after-effect in auditory localization.

The distance paradox of the figural after-effect in auditory localization.

A Further Investigation of Apparent Size and Retinal Size as Determinants of the Figural After-Effect

A figure which is more distant from the eye than another but subtends the same visual angle is usually seen as the larger. This phenomenon is called perceptual size constancy. Experiments have been reported which show that sometimes the apparent and sometimes the retinal sizes of the stimulus figures determine the direction of the figural after-effect. These experiments are reviewed and two further experiments are reported. In the first experiment two types of stimulus figure (discs and annuli) which subtended a visual angle of 1° 36′ resulted in figural after-effects, the direction of which would have been predicted by the retinal sizes of the figures. In the second experiment larger figures were used which subtended a visual angle of about 4° and which were the same as those used by Sutherland (1954). In this experiment the after-effects were generally in a direction which would have been expected if apparent size determined the direction of the after-effect. In the interpretation of the results attention is drawn to the “Central Tendency Effect” which has been observed in size judgements of stimulus figures of varying size. Two hypotheses are suggested; one is that the true figural aftereffect has been obscured by the “Central Tendency Effect” in successive judgements, and the other is that time error in successive judgements of size is essentially a figural aftereffect. Some supportive evidence for the latter hypothesis is reported. It is concluded that apparent size is not a critical determinant of the figural after-effect.

Note on the Relationship between Figural Aftereffects and Intelligence in Diffusely Brain-Damaged Individuals

It has been reported that mentally deficient individuals or individuals with brain damage of long tand ding do not reveal visual figural aftereffects (V-FAE) to the same extent as normals (Spitz & Blackman, 1959; Spivack & Levine, 1 9 5 9 ) . Similar findings are reported for kinesthetic figural aftereffects (K-FAE) (Mark, 1955; Spitz & Lipman, in press). It has also been reported by Spivack and Levine (1959) that in a group of female brain-damaged Ss there was a significant positive relationship between V-FAE and intelligence as measured by a multiple-choice vocabulary test (Miner, 1957) . The purpose of the present communication is to report on the relationship between V-FAE and intelligence in a group of brain-damaged males. The procedure employed closely approximates that used earlier (Spivack & Levine, 1959) . Twenty-eight braindamaged males (age range, 14 to 3 9 ) were compared with 28 emotionally disturbed males (age range 13 to 19) and 20 normal males (ages 13 to 1 9 ) . A significant V-FAE was obtained only in the normal group. There was no significant correlation of age with V-FAE scores in any group. For each group, the vocabulary scores were compared for those showing a positive V-FAE and those not having a positive V-FAE. The only significant difference was found in the brain-damaged group, indicating that those brain-damaged individuals with a positive V-FAE had significant lower vocabulary test scores than those not having a positive V-FAE. The present finding with a group of m d e brain-damaged Ss is exactly the opposite of previously reported findings with female brain-damaged Ss. The different signs of the correlations bring to mind Barthol's (1958) results, indicating significant correlations between K-FAE and phi thresholds for both males and females. Here the signs of the correlations differed for each sex. The meaning and relationship, if any, of our findings and Barthol's, are obscure.

Retinal Size as a Determiner of the Direction of Size Distortion in Figural After-Effects

When dealing with size distortions, the direction of the distortion is determined by the retinal size of the T-figure with respect to the retinal size of the I-figure. When the T-figure is retinally smaller than the I-figure it is distorted toward appearing even smaller; when it is retinally larger than the I-figure it is distorted toward appearing even larger; and when the two are retinally equal, there is no distortion. If the T-figures are too much larger or smaller than the I-figure, the distortion ceases. The traditional distance paradox is observed where the distance is defined retinally. The apparent size of the figures is irrelevant to a prediction of what sort of distortion takes place. Sutherland's hypothesis that apparent size determines the direction of distortion when retinal sizes are equated is not supported.

Has Apparent Size Been Tested as a Factor in Figural After-Effects?

This experiment was designed to demonstrate that the effect of apparent size on the FAE has not been adequately tested. The subjects were run under binocular and under monocular viewing conditions. Binocular vision gave essentially the same results that had been obtained in previous binocular investigations. Monocular vision gave different results. It was concluded that the effect of apparent size on the FAE has not been demonstrated.

Is the Figural After-Effect Accompanied by Changes in Discrimination?

In the figural after-effect one part of the visual field is apparently expanded relative to the rest, and it is suggested that the expansion might correspond to an improvement in discrimination. An experiment, in which subjects were required to judge the direction of curvature of lines after fixation of a straight line, showed no such improvement.

Figural After-Effects and Apparent Size

Sutherland (1954) obtained results which suggest that when the retinal size of test and inspection figures is equal, the direction of the FAE may be determined by the relative apparent sizes of the two figures. Other investigators have reproduced this result when exactly the same conditions were used: when the conditions were changed the result was not obtained. In the present paper these results are discussed and an attempt is made to determine why the effect is not obtained with small variations in the experimental conditions. It is further shown that some FAE phenomena cannot be explained by the two main existing theories; these phenomena could be explained if some analysis of the stimulus is being performed before the stage of the nervous system at which the process underlying FAEs occurs. Some recent physiological evidence (Hubel and Wiesel, 1959) supports this hypothesis. If this hypothesis is correct, it is likely that further work on FAEs determined by apparent size may help to throw light on the physiological mechanisms underlying size constancy, and some further experiments are suggested.

Attention and the Kinesthetic Figural After-Effect

Attention and the Kinesthetic Figural After-Effect

Experimentally Induced Shifts in Apparent Pitch

The influence of prolonged antecedent pure tone stimulation on the apparent pitch of an immediately subsequent tone is described as a phenomenon warranting future investigative effort. Past history of research on the effect is discussed, along with a suggested explanation in terms of satiation effect, similar to that postulated by Prof. Wolfgang Köhler for visual figural after-effects. Current research effort is described and recently completed work is discussed briefly.

Constant Errors in the Measurement of Kinesthetic Figural After-Effects

Constant Errors in the Measurement of Kinesthetic Figural After-Effects

Immediate and Residual Figural After-Effects in Kinesthesis

Immediate and Residual Figural After-Effects in Kinesthesis

Influence of Inspection of a Visually Curved Field on Kinesthetic Figural After-Effects

The occurrence of figural afcer-effects in kinesthesis has been demonstrated (Gibson, 1933; Nachmias, 1953). Jaffe (1956) has shown that stimulation in one sensory modality (vision) can lead to figural after-effects in a second modality (kinesthesis). In his study, the tactual perception of the width of a strip of metal was altered depending upon the width of a previously perceived visual stimulus. The present experiment also examines intermodality (visual upon kinesthetic) figural afcer-effects of shape or curvacure. Procedure.-For 14 min. 24 undergraduates, 12 men and 12 women, inspected a white visual field upon which were straight horizontal black lines. Ss wore 25 prism dioprer lenses. For half of the Ss the lenses curved the bladc lines in a convex direction, and for the other half the lenses curved the lines in a concave Upon removal of the lenses after 14 min., Ss looked at the lines and were given 3 trials, during each of which they ran both hands over the length of a flat metal rod which was in front of them but hidden from view. S reported curvature and of such curvature for each trial. Unknown to S, even though E appeared to be adjusting the metal rod, the rod was straight for all three trials. Following the three trials, S reported any curvature and of curvacure in the black-lined field. Rera1ts.-Ss' three tactual judgments were combined into one score; or straight. Any directional tendency for the combined three judgments was scored in the appropriate (i.e., straight, was scored up, was scored down, etc.). Complete variability in the three judgments (up, straight, down) was scored as direction. A test for sex differences revealed no significant differences (x2 = .02, p = .90 > .80), hence Ss were combined into one group. Experiments have shown that figural after-effects are displaced away from the previously satiated locus, and it was expected that the curvacure in the kinesthetic figural after-effect would be in the opposite direccion from the visually perceived curvature. Each S's score (up, or no direction) was, therefore, converted into a score in the expected (opposite to the visual curvature), in the opposite (the same as the visual curvature) or left as a direction score. Table 1 indicates that 12 of the 24 Ss reported an in the expected direction, 1 S reported an in the opposite direccion, and 11 Ss reported no effect. A one-tailed sign test, corrected for continuity and splitting the effect Ss into the expected and opposite groups, was used to test for

Effect of Duration of Inspection upon Kinesthetic Figural Aftereffects

(1961). Effect of Duration of Inspection upon Kinesthetic Figural Aftereffects. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 163-169.

A comparison of mental retardates and normals on kinesthetic figural aftereffects.

A comparison of mental retardates and normals on kinesthetic figural aftereffects.

時間経過に伴う色残像の大きさ変化感応理論の研究 (63)

The present study was designed to measure quantitatively the change of size of colored after-image with the passing of time and also, to confirm the relationship between the change of size and the positive-negative phase alternation of after-image.The results obtained were as follows:1) When, in a dark room a red rectangle patch placed vertically (A-form patch) was thrown on a dark screen for thirty seconds and then it was removed, the same color after-image-positive after-image- of enlarged size appeared in about two seconds, and afterwards it got by degrees smaller to agree strictly with the stimulus size in about six seconds. The shrinking of the after-image continued to reach a maximum point in about thirteen seconds, then after returning to neutral state- the same size as the stimulus-, the after-image shifted to expansion (enlargement) phase. Afterwards it kept on enlarging for a while, until the image disappeared. Thus the oscillation of waxing and waning in size of after-image was quantitatively confirmed. (Exp. 1).2) In the inspection of red B-form patches (two rectangles fixated vertically) under the same condition as in Exp. 1 the result showed a similar one as in Exp. 1, with the exception that the amount of shrinking was less. (Exp. 2).3) The effect of the distance between the two stimulus-rectangles. When red B-form stimuli with the distance between the two rectangles of 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12mm were Presenteb darkroom, it was found that the curves of oscillation for each distance displayed a similar feature. In regard to the effect of the distance between the two rectangles, the following was confirmed: the larger the distance was, the larger were the amplitude and the period of oscillation in the curve of after-image (Exp. 3).4) The effect of the stimulus color. When the stimulus-colors of four kinds, red, yellow, green, and blue, were used, almost the same results were obtained excepting that the period of first appearance of after-images for the green and the red stimuli were a little earlier than the rest, and at that time the amount of expansion of after-image for the green and the yellow stimuli was slightly greater than the others. (Exp. 4).5) Concerning the relationship between the size oscillation of after-image and its positive-negative alternation, it was indicated that the positive phase of each after-image corresponds to the period of the enlargement and the negative phase to the shrinking one. This leads us to conclude the existence of close relationship between the size dimension of after-image and its sensory property. (Exp. 4).6) The adequate theory of the optical illusion as well as the figural after-effect requires that the above mentioned facts are explained together with them.

Hue- and Brightness-Differences, Contours, and Figural After-Effects

Hue- and Brightness-Differences, Contours, and Figural After-Effects

Kinesthetic Figural Aftereffect under a Drowsy State Induced by Hypnosis

Kinesthetic Figural Aftereffect under a Drowsy State Induced by Hypnosis

Drugs and Personality

In the previous paper we have given a brief discussion of the reasons why figural after-effects are of interest in the study of personality and why stimulant and depressant drugs would be expected to have certain effects upon them (Eysenck and Easterbrook, 1960a). In this paper we describe an experiment using kinaesthetic figural after-effects rather than visual ones. By and large results with kinaesthetic figural after-effects have been more clear-cut and definite in relating these after-effects to personality; several studies have shown extraverts to have greater figural after-effects than introverts (Eysenck, 1957). Furthermore there is at least one study demonstrating that stimulant and depressant drugs have the predicted results upon kinaesthetic figural aftereffects (Poser, 1958). The reasons for this may be that whereas for visual experiments it is difficult to check on the subject's ability to maintain fixation, nothing comparable is required in experiments on kinaesthetic figural aftereffects. Furthermore any departure from instruction on the part of the subject can easily be checked by the experimenter. For these reasons kinaesthetic tests have very definite advantages over visual ones.