On size, distance, and visual angle perception

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, Wisconsin Standard descriptions of visual spatial experiences, especially illusions, create destructive paradoxes because, along with the perceived distance variable (D’), they use only one “perceived size” variable (S′) in the equation S′/D′ = V′ rad, to describe perception of a target’s linear size, S m, its distance, D m, from the eye, and the visual angle, V deg, its outer edges subtend at the eye. Simple paradoxes vanish in descriptions using the different equation, S’/D’ = V’ rad, which adds the perceived visual angle variable, V′ rad. Redefining classic illusions as illustrations primarily of misperceived direction difference (V) values removes the pseudoparadoxes that have made Extant explanations of illusions seem unsatisfactory.