The experiments of Dr. Pierce were made for only one position of the fixed line—at 12 cm. distance from the center. The characteristic of the following experiments is their reference to all positions of the fixed line. For instance a fixed line, 10 cm. in length at 12 cm. distance from the center, might be balanced by a line 5 cm. in length at 20 cm. distance. But would the distance be in the same proportion for a given distance of the fixed line of say 20 or 25 cm.? It is clear that only a progressive series of positions of the fixed line would suggest the changes in points of view or tendencies of choice of the subject. Accordingly, for all the experiments the fixed line or other object was placed successively at distances of 20, 40, 60 mm., etc., from the center; or at 40, 80 mm., etc., according to the character of the object, and for each of these fixed points the subject made one or two choices. Only an understanding of the direction in which the variable series moved gave in many cases an explanation for the choice.
Each choice, it should be added, was itself the outcome of a long series of trials to find the most pleasing position. Thus, each subject made only about ten choices in an hour, each of which, as it appears in the tables, represents a large number of approximations.
B. Experiments on Size.
I have said that different tendencies or types of choice in arrangement appeared. It will be convenient in the course of explaining in detail the method of experiment, to discuss at the same time the meaning of these types of choice.
From analysis of the pictures, the simplest suggestion of balance appeared in the setting off against each other of objects of different sizes;—an apparent equivalence of a large object near the center with a small object far from the center; thus inevitably suggesting the relations of the mechanical balance, or lever, in which the heavy short arm balances the light long arm. This was also the result of Dr. Pierce's experiments for one position of his fixed line. The experiments which follow, however, differ in some significant points from this result. The instrument used was the one described in the preceding section. On one side, in the middle of the vertical strip, was placed the 'fixed' line, denoted by F., and the subject moved the 'variable' line, denoted by V., until he found the arrangement æsthetically pleasing. The experimenter alone placed F. at the given reading, and read off the position of V. After the choice F. was placed at the next interval, V. was again tried in different positions, and so on. In the following tables the successive positions of F. are given in the left column, reading downward, and the corresponding positions of V. in the right column. The different choices are placed together, but in case of any preference the second choice is indicated. The measurements are always in millimeters. Thus, F. 40, V. 60, means that F. is 40 mm. to one side of the center, and V. 60 mm. to the opposite side. F. 80×10, V. 160×10, means that the white cardboard strips 80 mm.×10 mm., etc., are used. The minus sign prefixed to a reading means that the variable was placed on the side of the fixed line. An X indicates æsthetic dislike—refusal to choose. An asterisk (*) indicates a second choice.
The following tables are specimen sets made by the subjects C, O, and D.
| I. (a) F. 80×10, V. 160×10. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| F. | V. | ||
| C. | O. | D. | |
| 40 | 62, 120 | 166, 130 | 28, 24 |
| 80 | 70, 110 | 104, 102 | 80, 126 |
| 120 | 46, X | 70, 46 | 68,—44, 128* |
| 160 | 26, 96 | 50, 25 | 85, 196, —88* |
| 200 | 20, X | 55, X | —46, 230,* 220, —110* |
| I. (b) F. 160×10, V. 80×10. | |||
| F. | V. | ||
| C. | O. | D. | |
| 40 | 74, 64 | 60, 96 | 27, 34 |
| 80 | 76, 65 | 72, 87 | 55, 138 |
| 120 | 60, 56 | 48, 82 | 70, 174 |
| 160 | 29, 74 | 16, 77 | —114, 140, 138, 200 |
| 200 | 96, 36 | 25, 36 | 177, —146, —148, 230 |
Now, on Dr. Pierce's theory, the variable in the first set should be nearer the center, since it is twice the size of the fixed line;—but the choices V. 120, 166, 130 for F. 40; V. 110, 104, 102, 126 for F. 80; V. 128 for F. 120; V. 196 for F. 160; V. 230, 220 for F. 200, show that other forces are at work. If these variations from the expected were slight, or if the presence of second choices did not show a certain opposition or contrast between the two positions, they might disappear in an average. But the position of F. 40, over against V. 120, 166, 130, is evidently not a chance variation. Still more striking are the variations for I. (b). Here we should expect the variable, being smaller, to be farther from the center. But for F. 40, we have V. 27, 34; for F. 80, all nearer but two; for F. 120, V. 60, 56, 48, 82, 70; for F. 160, V. 29, 74, 16, 77, 138, and for F. 200, V. 96, 36, 25, 36, 177—while several positions on the same side of the center as the constant show a point of view quite irreconcilable with mechanical balance.
II. (a) F. 2 LINES 80×10. V. SINGLE LINK 80×10.
| F. | V. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. | O. | P. | ||
| 40- 60 | 58, 114* | 138, 20 | 96, 84 | 166 |
| 60- 80 | 48 | 40, 138* | 100, 56 | 150 |
| 80-100 | 64 | 70, 162* | 47, 87 | 128 |
| 100-120 | 70 to 80 | 60 | 53, 53 | X |
| 120-140 | 58 | 82 | 50, 48 | 35 |
| 140-160 | 74 | 95 to 100 | 22, 32 | 37 |
| 160-180 | 72 | 102 | X, X | 42 |
| 180-200 | 90 | X | X, X | 50 |