Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between temporally separated sets of geometric figures and various interstimulus intervals (ISIs). Circles and triangles were inspected at two stimulus durations: 500 msec and 8 sec. There were four ISIs: 0, 250, 500, and 750 msec. It was hypothesized that the stimulus trace of the triangles would persist over longer ISIs than would that of the circles. The results indicated that females perceived both figures as larger than did the males. Larger fixation effects were obtained at a shorter stimulus inspection duration. For triangles, there was perceived expansion at both inspection durations. In most cases, the fixation effect of circle shrinkage was apparent. Generally, triangles were perceived as larger than circles, especially at the longest ISI (p <.05). The data reaffirm the idea that whether or not a figure has parallel or intersecting contours determines the direction of the fixation effect.
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Cowart-Steckler, D., Pollack, R.H. The aftereffects of prolonged perception of shape. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 20, 239–241 (1982). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334827
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334827