Ebbinghaus illusions: Size contrast or contour interaction phenomena?

Forty-eight graduate and undergraduate students between 17 and 30 years of age judged the size of the central circle in Ebbinghaus figures presented under either simultaneous or successive viewing conditions. Successive presentation eliminated the illusion produced by the normally overestimated figure and diminished that produced by the underestimated figure. Under simultaneous viewing conditions, increasing the number of surrounding circles reduced the magnitude of the reversed illusion produced by the normally overestimated figure but had no effect on the illusion produced by the underestimated figure. Under successive viewing conditions, increasing the number of surrounding circles had no effect on the magnitude of illusion produced by the normally overestimated figure but increased the illusion produced by the underestimated figure. These data were interpreted as inconsistent with a size contrast explanation of the Ebbinghaus illusions and suggested that these illusions may be produced by a contour interaction process.

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