The Ames Demonstrations in Perception: A Guide to Their Construction and Use (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Ames Demonstrations in Perception

In this volume I have attempted to present some of the more im portant demonstrations in perception that have been developed by Adelbert Ames, Jr initially with the Dartmouth Eye Institute and later with the Institute for Associated Research at Hanover, New Hamp shire. Taken together, these demonstrations have over a period of time acquired for themselves a name, the Ames demonstrations; a name that is emphatically rejected by Ames himself, who insists on the coopera tive nature of the endeavor that produced them and generously over emphasizes the contributions of his coworkers. Nevertheless, the Ames demonstrations would not exist except for the unique combination of creative imagination and technical ingenuity of the man from whom they derive their name. Taken as a whole, the demonstrations make it possible to observe perceptual phenomena ranging from the simplest visual experiences to extremely complex situations involving action. It is increasingly be ing recognized that they offer a coherent and comprehensive series of observations of importance to psychology, psychiatry, philosophy, edu cation, art and architecture, and related fields. Increased use of the demonstrations in research and educational centers has been accompanied by increased demand for details of their construction and Operation. Although there are several manuscripts and publications describing one or more of the demonstrations, as yet there is no available source in which all the demonstrations are described or even listed and in which detailed information is presented from which they Can be constructed. The purpose of the present work is to fill this gap. With this end in View, each demonstration is treated separately as a physical piece of laboratory equipment, with the following information provided.