Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory by Hugo Münsterberg (100 books to read .txt) 📕

preference for the mechanical choice by changing into it at an

unusually early point.

Exp. V. Curve V. See Fig. 12, V.

Curve in.

(a) F. (80×10), V. Curve.

C puts V. farther than F., except for F. 200, V. 125 and X.

O also, changing as usual at F. 120 to V. nearer than F.

(b) F. Curve, V. (80×10).

O puts V. always farther than F. O has V. farther for F.

40 and F. 80, then nearer than F. Refuses to choose for F.

200. Results exactly parallel with those of Curve IV.

Comparing all the results of this whole series of experiments on the

suggestion of movement, we may conclude that movement, whether

suggested by a whole line or part of a line, produces in terms of

mechanical balance the same effect that the balanced object would

produce after the completion of the suggested motion. This tendency to

balance, it appears, lies at the basis of our preference; it often

gives way, however, before considerations of space-filling, when the

figure which on the scheme of mechanical balance is weaker, gains

interest and so ‘heaviness’ by being brought nearer the center.

D. Experiments on Interest.

By intrinsic interest is meant the interest which would attach to an

object quite apart from its place in the space composition. In a

picture it would be represented by the interest in an important

person, in an unusual object, or in an especially beautiful object, if

that beauty were independent of the other forms in the picture—as,

for instance, a lovely face, or a jeweled goblet, etc. When the

question of the influence of interest on composition came to be

discussed, it was found very difficult to abstract the form of the

object from the content presented; still more difficult to obtain an

effect of interest at all without the entrance of an element of form

into the space arrangement. Disembodied intellectual interest was the

problem, and the device finally adopted seemed to present, in as

indifferent a form as possible, a content whose low degree of absolute

interest was compensated for by constant change. Stamps of various

countries in black and white reproductions and very small outline

pictures on squares of the same size as the stamps were taken as

material. The figures were so small in relation to the board that any

influence on composition of the lines composing them was impossible;

the outline pictures, indeed, gave to the eye which abstracted from

their content an impression scarcely stronger than the neighboring

blank square.

The first set of experiments (VI.) had a small outline picture on the

side, and on the other a white paper square of the same size. The

necessary interest was given in the form of novelty by changing the

picture for every choice. The subjects were M, G and D. The

results were of the same type for each subject and could therefore be

averaged.

Exp. VI. (1).

(a) F. Picture, V. Blank. Eight choices for each. M,

Average: V. 17 mm. farther from center. G, Average: V. 10

mm. farther from center. (Symmetrical position beyond F. 120.)

D, Average: V. 25.8 mm. farther from center.

(b) F. Blank, V. Picture. M, Average: V. 33 mm. nearer

center. G, Average: V. 4 mm. nearer center. (Symmetrical

beyond F. 120.) D, Average: V. 30 mm. nearer center. (But V.

farther at F. 40.)

These results are practically unanimous. They show that an object

which possesses intrinsic interest acts like a mechanically heavy

object, being placed nearer the center than a blank. Two marked

deviations from the mechanical choice occur—although they have not

affected the average sufficiently to destroy the general harmony of

results. G, in both (a) and (b), chooses symmetrical positions

from F. 120 on. His notes [‘(a) F. 140, V. 136, picture

unimportant’; ‘(b) F. 120 and ff., loses relation as they separate’;

‘(b) F. 160, picture makes no impression’] show clearly that for

positions wide apart the picture, already a faint outline, becomes

only a white square like the other and is put into geometrical

symmetry.

Exp. VI. (2), by G and D. A stamp on one side unchanged, took the

place of the blank; on the other side the stamp was changed for each

choice.

(a) F. unchanged stamp; V. changed stamp.

D. Two series, (1) V. always nearer center. (2) Same, except

F. 20, V. 52; F. 80, V. 94; F. 140, V. 152; F. 160, V. 175.

G. Two series. (1) V. much farther from center up to F. 140,

then nearer. (2) V. farther throughout, except F. 160, V. 121.

(b) F. changed stamp; V. unchanged stamp.

D. Two series. (1) V. farther up to F. 100, then

symmetrical. (2) V. farther up to F. 100, then symmetrical or

nearer center.

G. Two series. (1) V. farther up to F. 120, then

symmetrical, and beyond F. 140, nearer center. F. 140, V. 63.

(2) V. much farther up to F. 120, then nearer center, but more

nearly symmetrical than (1). A complete series of second

choices beginning at F. 40, V. slightly nearer center than F.

Analyzing results, we find the changed stamp, which has the interest

of novelty, nearly always nearer the center than the unchanged. This

would indicate a balance of the mechanical type, in which the interest

makes an object ‘heavier.’ The exceptions are in (a) four choices of

D, G to F. 140, and in (b), D‘s choice beyond F. 200, and

G‘s beyond F. 120. The deviations are thus seen to be all of the

same type: for positions of F. near the center, when a mechanical

choice would have brought V. still nearer [(a)], it is instead put

farther away; for positions of F. far from the center, when a

mechanical choice would have put V. still farther away [(b)], it is

instead brought near. The exceptions are thus fully accounted for by

the demand for space-filling.

E. Experiments on Depth.

The experiments on suggestion of depth in the third dimension were as

follows. It was desired to contrast two objects differing only with

respect to the degree to which they expressed the third dimension.

Those objects that do express the third dimension are, in general,

views down streets, colonnades, corridors, gates, etc., or, in

landscape, deep valleys, vistas between trees, distant mountains, etc.

It is evident that representations of products of human handiwork

would be less unnatural when isolated for experiment, and two pairs of

pictures were accordingly prepared as follows: There was drawn on a

square of 80 mm. the picture of the mouth of a railway tunnel, closed

tightly by an apparently massive door; and another picture of

identical form and surroundings, but showing the rails entering at a

slight curve, the deep blackness within, and the small circle of light

at the farther end. The second pair consisted of the gateway of a

baronial castle, with heraldic bearings and closed iron-wrought doors;

and the same gateway open, showing a flagged pavement and an open

court with fountain beyond. The perspective effect was heightened by

all possible means for both pictures, and care was taken to have the

contrast of black and white the same for each pair, so that to the

half-shut eye, opened and closed forms seemed to have the same tone.

The subjects were directed to try to feel the third dimension as

vividly as possible—to project themselves down the vistas, as it

were—and then to arrange the squares in the most pleasing manner. The

experiments were made by A, M, S, H and D. Not all made the

same number of repetitions, but as their notes were unusually

suggestive, I have made use of all the results, and shall quote the

notes for the most part verbatim:

Exp. VIII. F. Closed Tunnel. V. Open Tunnel.

F. V.

Subject H. 40 90

60 57

80 13

100 12

120 39

140 - 1

160 -32

180 -71, +50

Notes.—H finds that he neglects the closed tunnel almost

entirely, eye is constantly attracted to open tunnel, F. 180,

choice of evils. Position of closed tunnel makes the pictures

disagreeable. F. 80, V. 13, closed tunnel grows more

uninteresting as it goes out, while the open tunnel seems

heavier than ever. F. 140, V.-1, closed tunnel loses force and

doesn’t gain weight. Open tunnel hangs together with the black

field beyond it.

F. V.

Subject S. 40 85 95

60 170 195

80 160 180

100 185 200

120 185 - 35, 200

140 85 20

160 115 115

180 100

Notes.—F. 120, V. 185. After this there is too large a

black space between squares, and so a more central position is

taken, but there is the necessity of avoiding symmetry, which

is displeasing. F. 160, V. 115 is not symmetrical and so is

more pleasing. F. 60, V. 195:—the open tunnel holds the eyes,

while the other allows them to wander, and so it needs a

bigger field on each side. F. 80, V. 180:—a position close

together is possible, but it is hard to take them so except as

one picture, and that is also difficult. F. 100, V.

200:—there is the same objection to any position which seems

to be an acknowledgment of similarity; that is, symmetrical

position seems to imply that they are alike, and so is

disagreeable. F. 120, V.-35, 200:—now they can be close

together because the black tunnel harmonizes with the black to

the right, and seems to correspond in distance and depth,

while the tunnel ‘hangs together’ with the black to the left.

(Cf. H, F. 160, V.—32.) F. 140, V. 20:—when they are

together it is difficult to apperceive the frame as a whole;

but this position is not far apart, and not disagreeable

because the larger stretch of black to the right again hangs

together with the tunnel. F. 160, V. 115:—when the open

tunnel was in the middle, the closed one seemed to have no

business at all, therefore the open tunnel had to be moved

over. The only position which was not disagreeable.

SUBJECT G.

F. V.

(1) (2) (3) (4)¹ (5)¹

40 48 31 36 30 23

60 105 31 40 51 39

80 111 71 60 64 54

100 104 63 78 60 86

120 123 75 91 62 115

140 136 82 111 56 137

160 162 93 148 72 156

180 107 115 181 83 176

¹Second pair (Court).

Notes.—(1) All quite unsatisfactory. The arrangement

difficult to apperceive as a whole. Each picture taken by

itself. (2) The tunnel closed doesn’t amount to much. (3) The

significance of the tunnel gives it weight. For F. 160, V.

148, and F. 180, V. 180, relation difficult. (4) Court closed

gets weaker as gets farther from center. (5) At F. 100, begins

to lose relation between pictures, as if one were in one room,

one in another.

SUBJECT A.

F. V.

(1) (2) (3) (4)² (5)²

40 70 66 140 59 130

60 80 73 159 62 138

80 103 71 120 77 134

100 113 94 108 93 100

120 119 88 96 96 63

140 108 92 60,164 82 43

160 92 118 70 109 50

180 130 154 78 101 50

²Second pair (Court).

Notes.—(1) Difficult to apperceive together. From F. 140,

V. 108, depth is