Horizontal-Vertical Illusion: Continuous Decrement or the Deviant First Guess?

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported that repetitive or extensive inspection leads to short-term decrement of the horizontal–vertical illusion. The present experiment explored whether this decrement reflects a gradual decline, as previously assumed, or is better described as a singular drop-off beyond the initial evaluation. 111 student participants adjusted vertical or horizontal lines such that they appeared equally long with a perpendicular standard. There were 8 successive adjustment trials for each subject. The results suggest that a substantial component of the illusion depends on the first impression assessment. The earlier anatomical and cognitive theories of the horizontal–vertical illusion cannot incorporate this datum. However, recent findings suggest that a motor theory of illusion might accommodate the observed one-step decrement in the illusion.