Abstract
To comprehend the character of the field of comparison, have been made the following several experimental observations.
A standard object (a nickel-plated brass rod) and variable objects (nickel-plated brass rods) are placed at different distances from O (6 men), who is instructed to “compare the real size of two objects”.
If given arrangements are not forced, and permitted to change as O Pleases , next three important characteristics of comparison are found; (A) when the differences of length of two objects are larger than certain degree, comparisons are concluded at a glance. But, (B) when the differences of length of two objects are considerably small, compqrisons are concluded after the O's posture and position is displaced against objects, and (C) when the differences of length of two objects are very small, comparisons are concluded after one object is displaced close to the other (Exp. 1). On the other hand, if given arrangements are forced, and not permitted to change, and when the differences of two objects are considerably small, the comparisons are not concluded, and then judgements are undecided (Exp. II).
Though, even when the arrangements are in the same manner, if O is instructed to “compare the apparent size of two objects”, any displacement does not occur, and judgements are always decided (Exp. III).
If astandard object and variable objects are placed one before the other, displacement of O's posture and position occurs before the differences of length of two objects does not yet become so small (Exp. IV).
If a standard object and variable objects are placed at equal distances from O,displacement of O's posture and position occurs forewards or backwards against the plane which contains the two objects, and the location of O seems to settle in an optimal point concerning the comparison (Exp. Va). And when the corn parison is carried out simultaneously the position of O is chosen further than when the comparison is carried out successively (Exp. Vb, Exp. Ve). In this case, if the distance of th two objects is changed, the position of O changes also corresponding to it, i. e. the distance becomes larger, the position settled further, but when the distance of two objects go over a certain degree, the position of O is then settled reversely nearer, and the comparison becomes successive (Exp. Yd).
These facts seem to indicate that the procss of comparison, as Kohler says, is ruled by the dynamics of cerebral processes corresponding to “Ich” of O and his environment which contains the two objects.
