The Ames room illusion works because the room is constructed in a trapezoidal shape but appears rectangular to the observer. This distorted room shape manipulates our normal cues for depth and size perception, leading us to incorrectly judge the size of people or objects in the room based on the false assumption that we are looking at a normal, rectangular room.

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In the Ames Room

Question 109

Multiple Choice

In the Ames room:

A) lighting tricks create a sense of three dimensions when only two exist
B) the use of mirrors creates the illusion of greater space
C) cues to depth are distorted by presenting people of different sizes at the same distance
D) perceived size is distorted by our assumption that the room is rectangular

Correct Answer: