Effects of Gap Size Between Shaft and Fins and of Angle of Fins on the Müller--Lyer Illusion

Assimilation theory was employed to generate quantitative predictions relating the ingoing Müller--Lyer illusion to both angle of fin and gap between shaft and fin. Gap sizes were varied from zero to 18 mm in steps of 2 mm, and angles of fins were varied from 30 degrees to 180 degrees in steps of 30 degrees. Five subjects adjusted the length of a comparison line to match the apparent length of the shaft at each combination of gap size and angle of fin. It was predicted that the gap necessary for a reversed illusion to occur, and the gap at which the maximal reversed effect occurred, would be inversely related to angle of fins. Empirical functions verified the predictions.