Q: Does the process of recognizing a misoriented familiar pattern trigger a torsional eye movement tending to reduce the misorientation? [This is best viewed in slideshow mode (click slideShow/ViewShow). Except for this slide and the next one, powerpoint will automatically advance to the next slide at the appropriate time.] [click left mouse button anywhere when you’re done reading this] A powerpoint demonstration constructed by H. Pashler & V. S. Ramachandran, UCSD, 2/00.

In the next slide, you will see a black field with a white line down the center. Fixate on the red dot in the middle and try to keep your eye there until the slide disappears (20 sec). In the slide that follows that, look at the black dot in the same position you were just fixating. Now without moving your head try reading one or the other word (California or Ontario). As you read the word, make a mental note of the relationship between the vertical reference line that runs down the middle of the screen and the afterimage generated by the adapting display. There will be two more adapting and test displays. [click mouse left key when ready to continue but you won’t need to click after this.]

ONTARIO CALIFORNIA

Eye Move? Torsional

Angular Deviation Smaller

Diamond or Square?

The End.