The Garbage-Can Illusion as a Teaching Demonstration

The height but not the width of a classroom garbage can was overestimated by 27 of 31 introductory psychology students. The average estimate was nearly 50% larger than the actual height of the garbage can. We argue that demonstrations that emphasize the ecological validity of laboratory conceptualiz...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Teaching of psychology 1997-01, Vol.24 (2), p.125-127
Main Authors: Cavalier, Robert, Wesp, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Demonstrations (Educational)
Educational Experiments
Error Patterns
Higher Education
Introductory Courses
Learning Activities
Misconceptions
Perception Tests
Psychology
Sensory Experience
Teaching Methods
Undergraduate Study
Visual Discrimination
Visual Perception
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Summary:The height but not the width of a classroom garbage can was overestimated by 27 of 31 introductory psychology students. The average estimate was nearly 50% larger than the actual height of the garbage can. We argue that demonstrations that emphasize the ecological validity of laboratory conceptualizations of illusions can help to stimulate student interest in and understanding of perception.
ISSN:0098-6283
1532-8023
DOI:10.1207/s15328023top2402_10