ABSTRACT
Most perceptual experiments occur in laboratories. Indeed it has been said that ' ... we know a great deal about the perception of a one-eyed man with his head in a clamp watching glowing lights in a dark room, but surprisingly little about his perceptual abilities in a real-life situation' (Ross, 1974, p. 9). Studies of our day-to-day perception are relatively rare because it is simpler to control and manipulate variables inside' a light-tight, soundreduced room than it is in more natural surroundings. Also, the results of well-controlled experiments are easier to present in a clear and precise fashion (and such presentations often impress colleagues and increase the chance of obtaining research grants).
