Static visual noise and the ansbacher effect

In Experiment I subjects made estimates of the apparent length of a 12 cm. long light arc-line rotating around a central fixation point at arc speeds of 66, 99, 132 and 165 cm./sec. Apparent contraction of the arc occurred as a function of speed, there being greater contraction in the presence of a superimposed random pattern of I cm. light squares (visual noise) than in its absence. The results of Experiment II indicated that there was no significant difference in length due to visual noise when the arcs were stationary. In Experiment III subjects made estimates of the speed of rotation of the arc and it was found that visual noise did not significantly affect the apparent arc-speed.