Infants aged 4 and 6 months were presented with events in which a person acted so as to set another person, or an inanimate object, in motion. In one condition, the actor spoke to the person (natural) or inanimate object (unnatural); in the other condition, the actor grasped and manipulated the person (unnatural) or object (natural). Six-month-old…

The problem of disorientation in a moving optical environment was examined. A pilot can experience egocentric disorientation if the entire visual environment moves relative to his body without a clue as to the objectives position of the airplane in respect to the ground. A simple method of measuring disorientation was devised. In this method…

The results of all basic measurements and calculations of reflected glare for different lighting materials and conditions are presented in a series of tables and charts. All basic concepts of a quantitative method for evaluating the visual significance of reflected glare are identified in relationship to different types of visual performance. The…

A historical perspective of the use of color on both the interior and exterior of buildings. (Author/MLF)

Sex specific biases in visual images was explored. When photographs of male and female faces were presented in a deliberately ambiguous manner, university students overreported the number of male faces and underreported female faces. The results are predictable with the variation of generic sentences shown with the photographs. (VM)

Using Keene "Director" fixtures, a Rotterdam, New York, school will save over $16,000 annually and have improved classroom light. These fixtures will pay for themselves in 3-4 years, halving the wattage used per square foot; they direct 40 percent of their light upward to provide uniform, glare-free lighting. (MCG)

The author briefly reports some significant findings concerning the impact of the environment on human perception, behavior, and performance, touching particularly on color, seating arrangement and crowding, and music and noise. Implications for schools are discussed. (PGD)

In addition to their restricted peripheral fields, persons with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) report significant problems seeing in low levels of illumination, which causes difficulty with night travel. Several devices have been developed to support the visual needs of persons who have night blindness. These devices include wide-angle flashlights,…

A brief target that is visible when displayed alone can be rendered invisible by a trailing stimulus (metacontrast masking). It has been difficult to determine the temporal dynamics of masking to date because increments in stimulus duration have been invariably confounded with apparent brightness (Bloch's law). In the research reported here,…

Relighting classrooms with peripheral lighting fixture layouts increases the room's illumination level, reduces glare, and increases the uniformity of desktop illumination. (Author/MLF)

THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PROPER SCHOOL LIGHTING, DRAWING DIRECTLY FROM THE NEW "AMERICAN STANDARD GUIDE FOR SCHOOL LIGHTING." PRINCIPLES FOR PROVIDING A COMFORTABLE AND EFFICIENT VISUAL ENVIRONMENT ARE THESE--(1) ANY SCHOOL LIGHTING SYSTEM SHOULD BE DESIGNED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A CHEERFUL, FRIENDLY, AND…

LIGHTING RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG WITH DESIGN IMPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED. COMMENTS OF SEVERAL LEADING LIGHTING AUTHORITIES ARE INCLUDED. A SERIES OF LIGHTING CONSIDERATIONS RECOMMENDS--(1) CHILDREN CAN ACQUIRE AN AWARENESS OF THEIR LUMINOUS ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EARLY TRAINING, (2) INTENSITY, DISTRIBUTION, HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL POLARIZATION AND THE…

In order to judge or design the lighting of an interior a person must be able to understand and take into account many aspects of seeing and illumination. Important areas of consideration are--(1) factors that contribute to the visibility of an object: size, brightness, contrast, and time, (2) radiant energy with regard to the visible spectrums of…

Eighteen significantly different classroom lighting systems were measured and analyzed in order to determine how contrasts from different light sources affect the ability to see visual tasks in the school room. Using criteria and techniques established from previous lighting research, the lighting systems are evaluated according to their…