DEPTH PERCEPTION AND VISUAL ILLUSIONS:.
People begin to interpret objects during childhood. Interpretation of two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects is a process learned by recognizing everyday objects such as pictures, drawings, symbols, etc. According to the figures on Price and Crapo chapters, the vertical line with the wings turned up appears longer than the line with the wings turned down. Even though they are same lengths. I think that the line with the wings pointing up is longer because it seems more distant than the one pointing down. Also, from what I understand in Nairne chapter, the two lines produce the same retinal image, but the visual line assumes that the vertical line with the wings turned up is larger. This visual images and illusions are based on peoples" experiences. We can't speculate that people throughout the world interpret objects the same way. People from other cultures who have limited experience to rectangular houses with rectangular corners might interpret those figures differently. They might not even interpret the figures as two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects. .
In figure 2, it looks like two lines forming a capital T, but inverted. The way people interpret this figure also depends on the environment they live. Based on Price and Crapo, people that live in territories with broad vista knew that when a tree or pole falls away from you seem to get shorter. However, if it falls next to you it doesn't seem to change at all. But if you live in the forest, you are not suitable to be fooled.
Discussion Question.
From the examples of cultural influences on illusion susceptibility, can we conclude that any one culture is superior to another in shielding people from the effects of illusions?.
No, we can't conclude that any one culture is superior to another in shielding people from the effects of illusions because there are cultural differences among people.
