Open AccessPerception of the Ebbinghaus illusion in 5‐ to 8‐month‐old infants
Author(s) -
YAMAZAKI YUKA,
OTSUKA YUMIKO,
KANAZAWA SO,
YAMAGUCHI MASAMI K.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
japanese psychological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1468-5884
pISSN - 0021-5368
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5884.2009.00420.x
Subject(s) - illusion , perception , preference , psychology , cognitive psychology , mathematics , neuroscience , statistics
The Ebbinghaus illusion is a geometric illusion based on a size‐contrast between a central circle and surrounding circles. A central circle surrounded by small inducing circles is perceived as being larger than a central circle surrounded by large inducing circles. In the present study we investigated 5‐ to 8‐month‐old infants' perception of the Ebbinghaus illusion using a preferential‐looking paradigm. We measured the preference between a central circle surrounded by small inducing circles (overestimated figure) and a central circle surrounded by large inducing circles (underestimated figure). Infants showed a significant preference for the overestimated figure when the central circle was flashing, but not when it was static. Furthermore, there was no preference between the two figures when the central circles were removed. These results suggest that infants' preference reflects their perception of the size illusion of the central circle. There is a possibility that 5‐ to 8‐month‐old infants perceive the Ebbinghaus illusion.