The illusion of the Ames room works because
A)size is computed from an incorrect estimate of distance.
B)distance is inferred from an incorrect assumption about size.
C)conflicting occlusion cues make a depth determination ambiguous.
D)the conflict between texture gradient and convergence cues is incorrectly resolved.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The illusion of the Ames room works because the size of the room is computed from an incorrect estimate of distance. The room is constructed in such a way that the back wall is slanted, causing the right corner of the room to appear farther away than the left corner. However, the floor and ceiling are parallel, which should indicate that the room is rectangular and not trapezoidal in shape. Our brain erroneously assumes that the size of the room is rectangular and uses this incorrect estimate of distance to compute the size of the people in the room, making the person on the right appear much larger than the person on the left.

The Illusion of the Ames Room Works Because