Programming Visual Illusions for Everyone

I studied experimental psychology at the University of Padova, Italy, graduating in 1989. My supervisor was Giovanni Vicario. The Department was an amazing place to study, full of activity but also with a sense of its long history. After my degree I went to the University of Virginia, USA, for an MA and PhD. There I worked with Dennis Proffitt and Michael Kubovy. In 1996, after my PhD, I took on a lectureship in England at Staffordshire University. In 1999 I moved to the University of Liverpool where I set up the Visual Perception Lab. I have worked on many aspects of visual perception. I have studied perception of shape, including symmetry, contour curvature and part structure. Starting from work on symmetry I have also explored the link between perception and emotion, or more specifically what visual properties drive visual preference. At a more cognitive level I have studied how people think about and interact with mirrors (you can look up the Venus effect on Wikipedia). More recently, and mainly by chance, I have also discovered and named the Honeycomb illusion, which is discussed in detail in Chapter 11.

“Bertamini, a cognitive scientist (Univ. of Liverpool, UK), explores various visual illusions while introducing the reader to the Python programming language. … there are links to helpful resources for those who wish to learn more about the field. … Overall, this is an original, practical guide. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.” (C. Vickery, Choice, Vol. 55 (9), May, 2018)

• Illusions are Fun.- Programming is Fun.- PsychoPy is Fun.-Kanizsa Square.- Ponzo Illusion.- Delboeuf Illusion.- Ebbinghaus Illusion.- Münsterberg and Café Wall Illusion.- Brightness contrast and White Illusion.- Neon Colour Spreading.- Honeycomb Illusion.- Breathing Square Illusion.- Stepping Feet Illusion.- Lilac Chaser Illusion.- Hierarchical Motion Organisation.- And More: Files, Irregular Polygons and  Images.- Visual Perception Glossary.- Programming Glossary.