Perception of Subjective Lines, Surfaces and Volumes in 3-Dimensional Constructions

Psychologists of visual perception have used special pictures, some made by artists, to investigate the phenomenon of subjective or phantom lines and surfaces. The authors have extended the investigations to 3-dimensional constructions of their design. Eight constructions are described and an account is given of the results obtained with human subjects. Differences between the phenomenon perceived in pictures and in the constructions are pointed out and attention is drawn to a new phenomenon—the perception of a subjective or phantom volume.