Difference between revisions of "Ames room" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Ames room.svg|right|350px]] | [[Image:Ames room.svg|right|350px]] | ||
| + | An '''Ames room''' is a distorted room that is used to create an [[optical illusion]]. Named for its creator, American [[ophthalmologist]] [[Adelbert Ames, Jr.]], the first Ames room was built in 1946 based on the late nineteenth century concept of the [[German]] scientist [[Hermann Helmholtz]]. | ||
| − | + | ==Anatomy of an Ames Room== | |
| − | An Ames room is constructed so that from the front it appears to be an ordinary | + | An Ames room is constructed so that from the front it appears to be an ordinary rectangular room, with a back wall and two parallel side walls perpendicular to the horizontally level floor and ceiling. In reality, this rectangular appearance is a trick of [[perspective (visual)|perspective]]. The true shape of the room is [[trapezoid]]al: the walls are slanted and the ceiling and floor are at an incline, and the right corner is much closer to the front-positioned observer than the left corner (or vice versa). Observers look through a peephole into the room to create the best viewpoint and remove any sense of depth created by viewing the room with both eyes. |
| − | As a result of the optical illusion, a person standing in one corner appears to the observer to be | + | As a result of the optical illusion created by the distorted room, a person standing in one corner appears to the observer to be significantly larger than a person standing in the opposite corner. The illusion is convincing enough that a person walking back and forth from the left corner to the right corner appears to grow or shrink. The illusion is often enhanced by adding additional visual perspective clues, such as a checkered floor and "rectangular" windows on the back wall. |
| − | + | Interestingly enough, an entire room is not necessary to create the illusion of distorted size; it is sufficient to create an apparent horizon against an appropriate background. The eye then relies on the apparent relative height of an object above that horizon. | |
| − | + | ==History of the Ames Room== | |
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| + | The founder of modern studies of perception, [[Hermann von Helmholtz]], is credited with the concept of the "Distorted Room" in the late nineteenth century. Though he never constructed one, Helmholtz concieved of a room that, properly distorted, would look like a normal rectangular room. Helmholtz believed that perspective cues were often more powerful than [[stereoscopic disparity]] (the ability to judge depth based on the slightly different angles of vision from each eye) when it came to depth perception.<ref>Gregory, R.L., [http://books.google.com/books?id=BlujlZmRNXEC&pg=PA239&lpg=PA239&dq=herman+helmholtz+ames+room&source=web&ots=hBKsr5-6Qk&sig=HUwWUQCKoEiR-s2o1Rtg9AllaxM "Even Odder Perceptions"] pp. 239. ''Routledge''. (1994). ISBN 0415061067 Retrieved August 24, 2007.</ref> | ||
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| + | Ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames was the first to construct an actual Distorted Room in 1946. Through constructing the room and experimenting with it, Ames went beyond Helmholtz's concept, discovering that familiar laws of physics could be apparantly violated in a Distorted Room. In addition to the mispercieved size of humans, balls appear to roll up troughs when they should roll down. Ames was one of the first to discover the amount of power experience has on perception.<ref>Gregory, R.L., [http://books.google.com/books?id=BlujlZmRNXEC&pg=PA241&dq=ames+room&sig=Cl9EBiI-cK6ZNsaG94v3Pie774s#PPA241,M1 "Even Odder Perceptions"] p. 241. ''Routledge''. (1994). ISBN 0415061067 Retrieved August 29, 2007.</ref> | ||
==Honi phenomenon== | ==Honi phenomenon== | ||
| − | A type of selective perceptual distortion known as the [[Honi phenomenon]] causes some | + | A type of selective perceptual distortion known as the [[Honi phenomenon]] causes some persons to perceive less size distortion in an Ames Room. The original experiment involved a husband and wife; the wife percieved less size distortion of her husband than she did a stranger, because of the love and respect she had for her husband. Similar results were obtained when navy recruits were shown naval officers and recruits; the authority figure was percieved to be less distorted. This shows that the mental attitude of the observer to the subject percieved can alter perception, whether it is positive (like love) or negative (like fear).<ref>Wilson, Colin, 1966. [http://books.google.com/books?id=zdIC-XAQ-5IC&pg=PA69&dq=honi+phenomenon&sig=-z0Mpy1tIPJccGreR6xT_f1BJuM#PPA69,M1 "Introduction to the New Existentialism"] p. 69. ISBN 160025022X Retrived August 30, 2007.</ref> |
| − | The | + | ==The Ames Room in Popular Culture== |
| + | The Ames Room has made several appearances in film, including the 1971 ''Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory''. Other films, like ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' [[The Lord of the Rings film trilogy|film trilogy]] have used Ames room sets instead of digital special effects to create the illusion of very small or very large characters. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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* {{cite web | title=Ames Room | work=Illusion Works | url=http://psylux.psych.tu-dresden.de/i1/kaw/diverses%20Material/www.illusionworks.com/html/ames_room.html | accessdate=2005-08-16 }} | * {{cite web | title=Ames Room | work=Illusion Works | url=http://psylux.psych.tu-dresden.de/i1/kaw/diverses%20Material/www.illusionworks.com/html/ames_room.html | accessdate=2005-08-16 }} | ||
* {{cite web | title=Diagram of an Ames Room | work=Kenneth M. Steele - Department of Psychology - Appalachian State University | url=http://www.acs.appstate.edu/~kms/classes/psy3203/Depth/AmesDiagram.htm | accessdate=2005-08-16 }} | * {{cite web | title=Diagram of an Ames Room | work=Kenneth M. Steele - Department of Psychology - Appalachian State University | url=http://www.acs.appstate.edu/~kms/classes/psy3203/Depth/AmesDiagram.htm | accessdate=2005-08-16 }} | ||
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* {{cite web | title=Ames Room | url=http://ahsmail.uwaterloo.ca/kin356/illusion/Ames.HTML | accessmonthday=August 16 | accessyear=2005 }} | * {{cite web | title=Ames Room | url=http://ahsmail.uwaterloo.ca/kin356/illusion/Ames.HTML | accessmonthday=August 16 | accessyear=2005 }} | ||
* {{cite web | title=Van Hoogstraten's Peep Show or Ames's Room? | work=Errol Morris | url=http://www.errolmorris.com/commercials/quaker_ames.html | accessdate=2006-09-07 }} | * {{cite web | title=Van Hoogstraten's Peep Show or Ames's Room? | work=Errol Morris | url=http://www.errolmorris.com/commercials/quaker_ames.html | accessdate=2006-09-07 }} | ||
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Revision as of 17:57, 4 September 2007
An Ames room is a distorted room that is used to create an optical illusion. Named for its creator, American ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames, Jr., the first Ames room was built in 1946 based on the late nineteenth century concept of the German scientist Hermann Helmholtz.
Anatomy of an Ames Room
An Ames room is constructed so that from the front it appears to be an ordinary rectangular room, with a back wall and two parallel side walls perpendicular to the horizontally level floor and ceiling. In reality, this rectangular appearance is a trick of perspective. The true shape of the room is trapezoidal: the walls are slanted and the ceiling and floor are at an incline, and the right corner is much closer to the front-positioned observer than the left corner (or vice versa). Observers look through a peephole into the room to create the best viewpoint and remove any sense of depth created by viewing the room with both eyes.
As a result of the optical illusion created by the distorted room, a person standing in one corner appears to the observer to be significantly larger than a person standing in the opposite corner. The illusion is convincing enough that a person walking back and forth from the left corner to the right corner appears to grow or shrink. The illusion is often enhanced by adding additional visual perspective clues, such as a checkered floor and "rectangular" windows on the back wall.
Interestingly enough, an entire room is not necessary to create the illusion of distorted size; it is sufficient to create an apparent horizon against an appropriate background. The eye then relies on the apparent relative height of an object above that horizon.
History of the Ames Room
The founder of modern studies of perception, Hermann von Helmholtz, is credited with the concept of the "Distorted Room" in the late nineteenth century. Though he never constructed one, Helmholtz concieved of a room that, properly distorted, would look like a normal rectangular room. Helmholtz believed that perspective cues were often more powerful than stereoscopic disparity (the ability to judge depth based on the slightly different angles of vision from each eye) when it came to depth perception.[1]
Ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames was the first to construct an actual Distorted Room in 1946. Through constructing the room and experimenting with it, Ames went beyond Helmholtz's concept, discovering that familiar laws of physics could be apparantly violated in a Distorted Room. In addition to the mispercieved size of humans, balls appear to roll up troughs when they should roll down. Ames was one of the first to discover the amount of power experience has on perception.[2]
Honi phenomenon
A type of selective perceptual distortion known as the Honi phenomenon causes some persons to perceive less size distortion in an Ames Room. The original experiment involved a husband and wife; the wife percieved less size distortion of her husband than she did a stranger, because of the love and respect she had for her husband. Similar results were obtained when navy recruits were shown naval officers and recruits; the authority figure was percieved to be less distorted. This shows that the mental attitude of the observer to the subject percieved can alter perception, whether it is positive (like love) or negative (like fear).[3]
The Ames Room in Popular Culture
The Ames Room has made several appearances in film, including the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Other films, like The Lord of the Rings film trilogy have used Ames room sets instead of digital special effects to create the illusion of very small or very large characters.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Dion KL, Dion KK (1976). The Honi phenomenon revisited: factors underlying the resistance to perceptual distortion of one's partner. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 33 (2): 170-7. PMID 1271208
External links
- Ames Room. Illusion Works. Retrieved 2005-08-16.
- Diagram of an Ames Room. Kenneth M. Steele - Department of Psychology - Appalachian State University. Retrieved 2005-08-16.
- Ames Room. Retrieved August 16, 2005.
- Van Hoogstraten's Peep Show or Ames's Room?. Errol Morris. Retrieved 2006-09-07.
- ↑ Gregory, R.L., "Even Odder Perceptions" pp. 239. Routledge. (1994). ISBN 0415061067 Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- ↑ Gregory, R.L., "Even Odder Perceptions" p. 241. Routledge. (1994). ISBN 0415061067 Retrieved August 29, 2007.
- ↑ Wilson, Colin, 1966. "Introduction to the New Existentialism" p. 69. ISBN 160025022X Retrived August 30, 2007.
