Variables of Surface Texture and Accuracy of Space Perceptions

Abstract

Six surface textures possessed differing degrees of irregularity as measured by the standard deviation describing the irregularity, and numbers of redundancies. Each surface was presented at 9 different slants to a different group of 12 Ss who monocularly viewed the stationary surface through a 38° aperture. Regression coefficients measured effects of texture on slant judgments. A replication with 6 Ss to a group and different Es was performed 4 mo. later. Judgmental errors varied with the magnitude of an irregularity, redundancies having lesser effects. Individual data and effects of a blank surface are also evaluated.