Rigidity, Stability, and Motion in Perceptual Space

SUMMARYIn the past, the relation between perceptual static space and the stimulus has been one of the problems with which most of the theorizing about visual space perception has been concerned. A basic assumption, with regard to this problem, has been that a static pattern of excitation corresponds to perceptual space. In accordance with this assumption, perceived motion has been regarded as a special case which ought to be explained by the general principles for static space, or possibly even by principles conflicting with those for static space (e. g. “Kurzschluss”).The purpose of the present paper is to demonstrate how the concept of relative change is probably a more adequate starting point, from a theoretical point of view, than the classical approach.