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In regards to that slashdot article's comment, the comparison to watching a movie screen doesn't really explain it for most of us, I think. There was an experi

by Foy 14y ago

In regards to that slashdot article's comment, the comparison to watching a movie screen doesn't really explain it for most of us, I think. There was an experiment[1] that had participants wear vision-inverting glasses for a while. Eventually they started seeing everything right-side up through the glasses. In fact, their vision was upside down after they removed the glasses!! Although they re-adjusted after a little while, it'd certainly explain Mann's temporary disorientation and the subsequent need for a doctor's note. Also, it'd be weird to conduct such experiments on yourself and not expect weird stuff like this to happen to you from time to time, especially when visiting foreign countries. [1] George M. Stratton. Some preliminary experiments on vision. Psychological Review, 1896.

xyzzyz 14y ago
I have read the cited paper, and seen no mention of what you described to be there: >As to the relation of the visual field to the observer, the feeling that the field was upside down remained in general throughout the experiment. >On removing the glasses on the third day, there was no peculiar experience. Normal vision was restored instantaneously and without any disturbance in the natural appearance or position of objects.
- platz 14y ago
  I haven't read any papers, but I've heard of this experiment (or one with similar effects) before in a basic psychology class.
- Foy 14y ago
  From Wikipedia: "Determined to find results, Stratton wore the telescoping glasses for eight days straight. By day four, his vision was upright (not inverted). However on day five, images appeared upright until he concentrated on them; then they became inverted again. By having to concentrate on his vision to turn it upside down again, especially when he knew images were hitting his retinas in the opposite orientation as normal, Stratton deduced his brain had reprocessed his vision and adapted to the changes in vision." So perceptual adaptation is real, it just takes like a week to really kick in. For someone who had been wearing these glasses for years, I'm sure the effects would be much more intense. EDIT: The paper that the follow up results were in might actually be "Stratton, G. (1897). Upright vision and the retinal image. Psychological Review, 4, 182-187" I admit I'm not used to citing academic papers, I heard about this experiment back in high school anth/soc/psych so I just did my best to find a semi-credible reference.

by Foy 14y ago

xyzzyz 14y ago

I have read the cited paper, and seen no mention of what you described to be there: >As to the relation of the visual field to the observer, the feeling that the field was upside down remained in general throughout the experiment. >On removing the glasses on the third day, there was no peculiar experience. Normal vision was restored instantaneously and without any disturbance in the natural appearance or position of objects.

platz 14y ago
I haven't read any papers, but I've heard of this experiment (or one with similar effects) before in a basic psychology class.
Foy 14y ago
From Wikipedia: "Determined to find results, Stratton wore the telescoping glasses for eight days straight. By day four, his vision was upright (not inverted). However on day five, images appeared upright until he concentrated on them; then they became inverted again. By having to concentrate on his vision to turn it upside down again, especially when he knew images were hitting his retinas in the opposite orientation as normal, Stratton deduced his brain had reprocessed his vision and adapted to the changes in vision." So perceptual adaptation is real, it just takes like a week to really kick in. For someone who had been wearing these glasses for years, I'm sure the effects would be much more intense. EDIT: The paper that the follow up results were in might actually be "Stratton, G. (1897). Upright vision and the retinal image. Psychological Review, 4, 182-187" I admit I'm not used to citing academic papers, I heard about this experiment back in high school anth/soc/psych so I just did my best to find a semi-credible reference.