Perception and Illusion: Historical Perspectives

Library of the History of Psychological Theories

by Nicholas J. Wade

Our contact with the world is through perception, and therefore the study of the process is of obvious importance and signi?cance. For much of its long history, the study of perception has been con?ned to natural- tic observation. Nonetheless, the phenomena considered worthy of note have not been those that nurture our survival--the veridical features of perception--but the oddities or departures from the common and c- monplace accuracies of perception. With the move from the natural world to the laboratory the oddities of perception multiplied, and they received ever more detailed scrutiny. My general intention is to examine the interpretations of the perc- tual process and its errors throughout history. The emphasis on errors of perception might appear to be a narrow approach, but in fact it enc- passes virtually all perceptual research from the ancients until the present. The constancies of perception have been taken for granted whereas - partures from constancies (errors or illusions) have fostered fascination.

Genres: Psychology

250 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

Nicholas J. Wade is a British psychologist and academic. He is an emeritus professor in the psychology department of the University of Dundee in Scotland, and the author of books and technical articles. His work has focused on visual perception.