Quantitative Predictions of Length in the Mueller-Lyer Illusion as Perceived by the Human Visual System.
Abstract
The biologically derived bandwidth characteristics of the human visual system were used to determine the shape parameters of a filter. This filter was used, as a model of the visual system, to produce quantitative predictions of the Mueller-Lyer visual illusion. These predictions were compared to judgments of the length of the shaft of the illusion by human subjects. The best agreement between the subject data and the predictions of the model occurred when the filter had a double exponential shape, a bandwidth of + or - 1.0 octave and a center spatial frequency between 2 and 4 cycles per object size. This is the first experiment to show that the filter model could predict similar quantitative distortions of length of the Mueller-Lyer visual illusion as reported by the human subjects. These results support the theory, advocated by Arthur Ginsburg, that the bandwidth limitations of the human visual system are responsible for geometric visual illusions as well as other visual phenomena such as the Gestalt principles of similarity, proximity and closure. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA055706
Entities
People
- Charles Owen Cornell
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology