The distinction between the rod and frame illusion and the rod and frame test

P. M. Wenderoth

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    29 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Errors in vertical settings of a test rod occur when the rod is enclosed in a laterally tilted square outline frame. The majority of previous experiments which have investigated this rod and frame effect have used a single frame tilt, usually 28°, and have tabulated errors as average unsigned deviations from gravitational vertical. Evidence is presented that, when the illusion is measured by taking algebraic differences between constant (signed) errors made with and without the frame being present, illusions occur in the direction of frame tilt for frame tilts up to about 25° from vertical (repulsion effects) but that directionally opposite illusions (attraction effects) occur for frame tilts between 25° and 45°. At the frame tilts used most frequently in previous studies (25° to 30°) little or no illusion occurs. A distinction is drawn between the rod and frame illusion (RFI), which has an angular function similar to the simple tilt illusion and aftereffect, and the rod and frame test (RFT), which uses unsigned deviations from vertical as its measure of error and which probably bears little or no relationship to the RFI.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)205-212
    Number of pages8
    JournalPerception
    Volume3
    Issue number2
    Publication statusPublished - 1974

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The distinction between the rod and frame illusion and the rod and frame test'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this