Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1 / Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory.

by Unknown

The reports as to the vividness of the rival images are somewhat conflicting. Sometimes it is the moving object which was imaged with the more vivid content, and sometimes the resting object. One report runs: "The moving object had less color, but was more distinct in outline than the stationary." Sometimes one of the positions of the moving object was alone represented in the image, either the initial position (on a level with the resting object) or a position lower down. On the other hand, we read: "The image of the moved object seemed at times a general image that reached clear down, sometimes like a series of figures, and not very distinct; but sometimes the series had very distinct outlines." In one case (the circle) the image of the figure in its upper position remained, while the serial repetitions referred to extended below. This, as might be supposed, is the report of an exceptionally strong visualizer. In other cases the object and its movements were not dissociated: "The moved object was imaged as moving, and color and outline were retained." And again: "Twice through the series I could see the image of the moving object as it moved." "Image of moved object moved all the time."

TABLE XV.

	1		2		3		4		5		Indiv. Av.
	Gray	Red	Gray	Yellow	Gray	Green	Gray	Blue	Gray	Violet	Gray	Colored.
I.	26	29	27.5	28.5	26.5	29	21.5	27.5	27.5	26.5	25.8	28.1
II.	35.5	36.5	45.5	53.5	53.5	53.5	53.5	53.5	55	55	48.6	50.4
III.	00	11	02.5	19	10.5	16	17.5	08.5	00	09	6.1	12.7
IV.	45	23.5	08	53.5	48	39	48	52	55.5	35	40.9	40.6
V.	55.5	55.5	42	53	50	56	52.5	50	44.5	56.5	49.1	54.2
VI.	22	33.5	29	36.5	28	43.5	26	37.5	39.5	29	28.9	36.0
VII.	38.5	39	56	56	49.5	54.5	47	47	45.5	50	47.3	49.3
VIII.	15	10.5	15	19.5	23	21	19.5	24	20.5	25	18.6	20.0
IX.	31.5	49	19	42.5	50	50	35.5	46	48	39	36.8	45.3
X.	19	33	14.5	37	29.5	23	17	37.5	23	31	20.6	32.3
XI.	11	49.5	08	51.5	09	43.5	35	43.5	24	47	17.4	47.0
	27.18	33.64	24.27	40.95	34.32	39.00	33.91	38.82	34.82	36.64	30.90	37.81

General average: Gray, 30.90 sec.; colored, 37.81 sec.

Series No. XV.—The figures in each pair of this series were full-faced, and of the same shape and size, but one was gray and the other colored, the gray being seen first to the left, and then to the right. The colors used were of Prang's series (Gray, R., Y., G., B., V.). In No. 1 the figures were in the form of a six-pointed star, and gray was compared with red. In No. 2 the figures were elliptical, and gray was compared with yellow. In No. 3 a broad circular band of gray was compared with the same figure in green. In No. 4 the figures were kite-shaped, and gray was compared with blue. In No. 5 a circular surface of gray was compared with a circular surface of violet. The objects compared were exposed at the same time, under the usual conditions.

As might perhaps be expected, the colored surfaces proved to be the more persistent in ideation, showing a general average of 37.81 seconds per minute as against 30.90 seconds for the gray.

The distinctness of the process of color apprehension is reflected in the notes: "In the colored images I find the color rather than the form occupying my attention; the image seems like an area of color, as though I were close to a wall and could not see the boundary;" and then we have the significant addition, "yet I feel myself going about in the colored area." Again: "In the gray the outline was more distinct than in the colors; the color seems to come up as a shade, and the outline does not come with it." Or again: "The gray has a more sharply defined outline than the color." This superior definiteness in outline of the gray figures is subject to exceptions, and one subject reports 'the green outline more distinct than the gray.' And even so brilliant a color as yellow did not always obscure the boundary: "The yellow seems to burn into my head," says one of the subjects, "but the outline was distinct." The reports in regard to this color (yellow) are in fact rather striking, and are sometimes given in terms of energy, as though the subject were distinctly conscious of an active process (objectified) set up in the apprehension of this color. The reports run: "The yellow has an expansive power; there seemed to be no definite outline." "The yellow seemed to exert a power over the gray to suppress it; its power was very strong; it seemed to be aggressive."

TABLE XVI.

	1		2		3		4		5
	a	b	a	b	a	b	a	b	a	b
I.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
II.	43	41	33	51	19	31	32	41	20	18
III.	0	6	0	0	3	11	13	16	0	0
IV.	56	28	23	35	0	11	48	56	35	25
V.	56	55	44	44	57	30	39	32	34	30
VI.	14	8	12	12	11	5	35	12	9	6
VII.	52	54	56	56	51	47	56	57	47	26
VIII.	15	0	18	21	24	39	26	10	23	21
IX.	28	25	39	31	23	28	26	36	25	17
X.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
XI.	52	45	41	48	7	39	50	36	48	22
	35.11	29.11	29.55	33.11	21.66	26.78	29.55	26.91	21.91	15.00

Series No. XVI.—The course of experimentation having shown the superior energy of lines, in comparison with surfaces, in stimulating, directing, and holding the attention, a series of figures was devised to test the question whether the direction of the lines would have any effect upon the length of time during which both images of a pair of linear figures would be presented together. The materials used were granite-gray strips half a centimeter wide. The letters (a) and (b) at the heads of the columns refer to the same letters in the diagram, and distinguish the different arrangements of the same pair of objects. The figures in the body of the columns show only the length of time during which both images were reported present in consciousness together. At the foot of the columns are shown the averages for each pair. No general averages are shown, as the problem presented by each pair is peculiar to itself.