Shape discrimination as a function of the angular orientation of the stimuli.

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Abstract
Pairs of two-dimensional nonsense figures were presented tachistiscopically to Ss who were required to judge them for identity of shape. Each shape could be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in its own plane to any of eight positions. The combinations of the angular positions of the two shapes in each pair resulted in angular separations of the shapes in multiples of 30[degree] between 0[degree] and 180[degree], inclusive. The accuracy and latency of shape discrimination was studied as a function of the angular separation of the shapes. The results may be summarized as follows (1) More errors of judgment were made when the shapes were identical than when they were different. (2) Errors varied as a function of increasing angular separation when the shapes were identical, but appeared to be independent of angular separation when the shapes were different. (3) Latencies were higher when the shapes were identical than when the shapes were different. (4) Research in shape perception is handicapped by the lack of a suitable metric for the attribute of "shape". Until this measurement problem is solved there can be little hope for the development of an adequate theory of shape perception.

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