A PARADOX IN THE PERCEPTION OF LUMINANCE GRADIENTS. I

Under certain conditions subjects looking at a luminance gradient report a physically darker part of the gradient to be brighter than an adjacent area of higher luminance. This brightness paradox was studied in a series of experiments using a magnitude estimation method. The main results were that both the changing sign of the second derivative of the luminance function (Mach's hypothesis) and the higher or lower luminance of an adjacent area (McDougall's drainage theory) are critical conditions for the appearance of the paradox. In the present study none of these conditions per se resulted in a brightness paradox.     

A PARADOX IN THE PERCEPTION OF LUMINANCE GRADIENTS. III

In the second paper of this series (Bergström, 1967) a psychophysical model of certain contrast phenomena in the perception of luminance gradients was outlined on the basis of empirical findings. From this model two predictions were derived about the appearance of a steplike luminance distribution. These predictions about relations between the brightness of different parts of the distribution have been tested by means of a ranking method and a matching technique. Both predictions were confirmed.     

'NEURAL UNIT' IN THE PERCEPTION OF LUMINANCE GRADIENTS

The neural unit model of neural networks proposed by von Békésy was simulated on a CDC 3600 digital computer. Certain luminance gradients in space were used as input. The output of the model was compared with the results of earlier studies on the visual appearance of these gradients. The main result was that the 'predictions' made by the model did not fit all the empirical data. Certain modifications of the model are suggested.     

THE PARADOX OF INQUIRY IN AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS

Abstract: The Confessions recounts Augustine's successful search for God. But Augustine worries that one cannot search for God if one does not already know God. That version of the paradox of inquiry dominates and structures Confessions 1–10. I draw connections between the dramatic opening lines of book 1 and the climactic discussion in book 10.26–38 and argue that the latter discussion contains Augustine's resolution of the paradox of inquiry as it applies to the special case of searching for God. I claim that he develops a model, relying on the universal human experience of joy and truth, that identifies a starting point that (1) is common to all human beings, (2) is sufficient for guiding a successful search for God, and (3) avoids commitment to recollection of experiences prior to birth. The model is crucial to Augustine's rejection of traditional Platonist views about recollection.     

AMULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING APPROACH TO THE PERCEPTION OF ART. II

G oude G. A multidimensional scaling approach to the perception of art. II. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1972, 13 , 272–284.—Three series of experiments with multidimensional scaling of art experiences (of eight paintings) were performed. In the first series groups which had followed lectures in art history were compared to otherwise similar groups without lecturing within this field. The second study compared four age-groups (8, 10, 12 and 14 years). The third series was a comparative study with a group of schizophrenic patients.     

THE EFFECTS OF GROUP PRESSURE IN PERCEPTION

Une réplique interculturelle des études de Asch (1952) et de Whittaker et Meade (1967) sur l'influence de la pression sociale sur la distorsion du jugement a été effectuée avec un groupe de sujets des îles Fiji provenant de deux races dominantes. Les résultats dénotent une tendance au conformisme plus marquée chez les sujets de cette culture et particulièrement chez les femmes.     

封闭性知觉在大范围优先性中的特殊性

本文研究当封闭性作为被试分辨的图形性质时,空间位置不确定性和视野位置对大范围优先性有何影响。实验发现：（１）无论复合刺激呈现在视野的中央或外周．分辨复合刺激的整体性质的反应时（ＲＴ）比分辨局部性质的ＲＴ短,整体性质对分辨局部性质的反应有较强的干扰作用。相反,局部性质对分辨整体性质的反应的影响较小;（２）刺激位置的不确定对大范围优先性没有显著影响;（３）与周边刺激相比,分辨视野中央的复合刺激的ＲＴ较短,但整体性质的ＲＴ优势和对局部性质的干扰作用,不受刺激在视野中的位置的影响。这些实验结果揭示了封闭性知觉在大范围优先性中的特殊性。     

CRT显示颜色编码与色标大小、亮度关系的实验研究

本研究通过考察CRT显示器上目标色大小和亮度变化与人的绝对辨色效果间的关系,了解色标大小和色标亮度对CRT显示颜色编码的影响,探讨提高CRT颜色编码显示视觉工效的方法。实验结果表明,CRT色标大小和色标亮度对人的绝对辨色效果均有明显影响,增大色标大小和提高色标亮度均可使CRT颜色编码的编码数目和编码颜色的选择范围扩大,同时得到在不同色标大小时的CRT显示颜色编码系统。     

THE PARADOX OF BENEFICIAL RETIREMENT

Morally, when should one retire from one's job? The surprising answer may be ‘now’. It is commonly assumed that for a person who has acquired professional training at some personal effort, is employed in a task that society considers useful, and is working hard at it, no moral problem arises about whether that person should continue working. I argue that this may be a mistake: within many professions and pursuits, each one among the majority of those positive, productive, hard working people ought to consider leaving his or her job.     

閃光頻率辨認中的时間知觉問題

一、問題 这項研究是从“閃光信号的頻率选择实驗研究”总課題派生出来的一个問題。在进行上述研究,尤其是有关“閃光頻率辨认和等辨量表”的实驗时,許多被試口头报告曾使用数数法,帮助自己辨认閃光的頻率。經与实驗結果对照,发現在閃光頻率低于30—40周/分时,用数数法确实有效,頻率較高(例如100周/分以上)时,則漸难使用数数法了,其轉折点似在50周/分左右。由于閃光頻率与閃光每周的时距有一定的关系,閃光頻率的辨认,归根結底,主要是以时間知觉为基础的。     

THE DIMENSIONALITY PARADOX IN COMPARATIVE JUDGMENT: A RESOLUTION

S jöberg , L. The dimensionality paradox in comparative judgment: a resolution. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1968, 9, 97–108. — It has often been possible to erect unidimensional scales although stimuli have been clearly multidimensional. This fact is surprising since one expects the multidimensional structure to be reflected in data. It is suggested that this structure might be recovered from dispersions of comparative judgments. The suggestion is shown to be valid on three sets of paired comparison data. Implications for uni- and multidimensional scaling are discussed.