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'''The Boomerang Illusion''' (also known as the Jastrow Illusion) is an effect based on an optical illusion in which two boomerang shapes appear to shrink and grow.[[File:JastrowIllusion.png|300|thumb|right|The two figures are identical.]]
+
'''The Boomerang Illusion''' (also known as the Jastrow Illusion) is an effect based on an optical illusion in which two boomerang shapes appear to shrink and grow.
  
The optical illusion is often credited to Professor [[Joseph Jastrow]], a pioneering  psychologist, who used it to illustrate optional illusions in 1891. The same illusion was published by Felix Müller-Lyer in 1889 and by Wilhelm Wundt a year later. Psychologists often refter to it as the Jastrow-Wundt illusion of size.
+
[[File:JastrowIllusion.png|300px|thumb|right|The two figures are identical.]]
  
This illusion has been used by psychologists to investigate how the we perceive size based on visual clues and has also been used as to test whether people with brain damage have a full field of vision. The psychological mechanism that causes this illusion is still a matter of discussion amongst researchers. The Jastrow Illusion has even been tested with chimpanzees to find out how our perception functions.
+
The optical illusion is often credited to Professor [[Joseph Jastrow]], a pioneering psychologist who studied optical illusions at the end of the nineteenth century. The same illusion was published earlier by Felix Müller-Lyer in 1889 and by Wilhelm Wundt a few years later. Psychologists often refer to it as the Jastrow-Wundt illusion of size. This optical illusion has been used by psychologists to investigate how we perceive the size of things. It has also been used to test whether people with brain damage have a full field of vision. The Jastrow Illusion has even been tested with chimpanzees to find out how our perception functions. The psychological mechanism that causes this illusion is still a matter of discussion amongst researchers.
  
Performing the Jastrow Illusion as a magic trick requires a theatrical approach. Only showing the arcs to be swapping relative size will render it a mere puzzle. Many different variations on this theme have been published and marketed over the decades. The trick can be performed with boomerangs, fish, card fans, mud flaps or anything else that resembles an arch. Magic routines using this principle can use two, three or even four arches, adding layers of deception. When using small segments, there are also possibilities to deploy slight of hand for additional trickery.  
+
The boomerang illusion has been performed by magicians for almost as long as it has been studied by psychologists. Over the past century, a wide variety of versions of this illusion has been published and marketed under many different names.  
  
It is often sold as part of many magic kits to children.
+
The oldest known reference to the Jastrow Illusion as a magic trick is from a 1916 book by [[Will Goldston]], a popular English magician of the first half of the twentieth century. Goldston uses two boomerang shapes with boy scouts drawn on them. The trick is presented as a guessing game, proving the spectator wrong after they point out which of the boy scouts is the largest.
 +
 
 +
[[File:P&L_Strecth_It_Bommerangs.png|300px|thumb|right|P&L advertisement, circa 1935.]]
 +
 
 +
The first widely commercially available version of this illusion uses the inherently magical boomerang to provide context to the routine. P&L marketed the Stretch-It Boomerang Sticks in 1935. These are brightly painted boomerang shapes, one of which contain a gimmick which allows it to be shortened. The original advertising by L&L and a stamp on the wooden props state that a patent for the gimmick was pending. A review of the official registers does, however, not reveal any patent issued for this trick. Irrespective of their patent claims, this original version has been copied several times. [[Max Andrews]]’ Vampire Studios in London sold the gimmicked prop as ''Beaumont's Boomerangs'' in the 1940s and 50s. The original P&L designs are currently sold by the [[Viking Magic Company]] as the ''Bafflin' Boomerangs'' and by [[Magic Makers]] under the same name.
 +
 
 +
A rare and interesting innovation to the Boomerang Illusion is the ''Pad-O-Rang'', developed around 1955 by Hollywood magician [[Merv Taylor]]. This version adds another dimension by turning the arches into a paddle trick. It consists of two acrylic boomerangs with a small handle which can be used to demonstrate the optical illusion and combine it with the [[Paddle Move]] to show colour changes.
 +
 
 +
Scottish creative force in magic [[Ian Adair]] has developed several versions to be performed for children using fish, caterpillars and bananas. He introduced a theatrical innovation by adding a drawing on the back using both arches. In Monkey Puzzle the two bananas become the face of a monkey, in Butterfly Puzzle the caterpillars become a butterfly and in Fishy Tale two fish are eventually eaten by a cat.
 +
 
 +
George Murray and Tom Jorgenson published a sleight of hand version through [[Nielsen Magic]] in 1990. The booklet contains three small plastic boomerangs and instructions for six routines. They are marketed as colour changing boomerangs, but the routines also include the traditional size changes. The same routine was also published by Dale Price in ''M-U-M'' in 2000.
 +
 
 +
[[Terri Rogers]], an English ventriloquist and magician, has created many routines based on geometry and has also produced an original contribution to the Boomerang Illusion. ''Top of the Bill'' is a Close-Up Illusion where the boomerangs are cut-outs from a variety poster with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy printed on them. Her routine involves audience participation and at the end of the proceedings, both the magician and the spectator are left with two boomerangs that are actually different in size.
 +
 
 +
Legendary Japanese magic trick manufacturer [[Tenyo]] has also innovated the Boomerang Illusion. The ''Sakkaku Scale'', or Illusion Scale uses three boomerangs, two with kitties printed on them and the third one is a scale to measure the other two.
 +
 
 +
In 2006 Chuck Leach developed the ''Boomerang Cards Across''. He innovated this old effect by using card fans. In this trick, the optical illusion is not the effect but is used as a method to transpose a selected card from the shortest to the longest fans. The card fans look a bit like a card fan holder that Bridge players use to keep all their cards together.
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
* Bartolomeo, P. (2014). Unilateral Spatial Neglect: Clinical Aspects. In P. Bartolomeo, ''Attention Disorders After Right Brain Damage'' (pp. 49–83). London: Springer London.
 
 
* Bateman, L. (1949). Yo-It-Chi. ''Abracadabra'', 8(183), 214–215.
 
* Bateman, L. (1949). Yo-It-Chi. ''Abracadabra'', 8(183), 214–215.
* Braine, M. D. S., & Shanks, B. L. (1965). [http://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(65)80025-1 The development of conservation of size]. ''Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior'', 4(3), 227–242.
 
 
* Brodahl, L. A. (2015). ''Scripted! #1: Professors Nightmare and Fiber Optics Extended''.
 
* Brodahl, L. A. (2015). ''Scripted! #1: Professors Nightmare and Fiber Optics Extended''.
 
* Carson, R. (1965). Jimmy Lake, President, Fellowship of Ministers Convention. ''Linking Ring'', 45(2), 111.
 
* Carson, R. (1965). Jimmy Lake, President, Fellowship of Ministers Convention. ''Linking Ring'', 45(2), 111.
Line 23: Line 37:
 
* Gower, H. (1962). Magic mudguards. ''Abracadabra'', 33(833), 4–6.
 
* Gower, H. (1962). Magic mudguards. ''Abracadabra'', 33(833), 4–6.
 
* Hoy, D. (1957). The Bible and magic. Linking Ring, 37(3).
 
* Hoy, D. (1957). The Bible and magic. Linking Ring, 37(3).
* Imai, S. (1960). [http://doi.org/10.4992/jjpsy.30.350 Experiments on Jastrow Illusion]. ''The Japanese Journal of Psychology'', 30(5), 350–356.
 
* Jastrow, J. (1892). [http://doi.org/10.2307/1411617 Studies from the Laboratory of Experimental Psychology of the University of Wisconsin]. II. ''The American Journal of Psychology'', 4(3), 381.
 
 
* Kaufman, R. (2016). Genii Speaks. ''Genii'', 79(2), 10–11.
 
* Kaufman, R. (2016). Genii Speaks. ''Genii'', 79(2), 10–11.
 
* Kleefield, J. (2008). Boomerang Teach-In. ''Linking Ring'', 88(5), 84–85.
 
* Kleefield, J. (2008). Boomerang Teach-In. ''Linking Ring'', 88(5), 84–85.
* Maniatis, L. M. (2008). [http://doi.org/10.1068/p6102 The Leaning Tower illusion is not a simple perspective illusion]. ''Perception'', 37(11), 1769–1772.
 
* Massironi, M., Antonucci, G., Pizzamiglio, L., Vitale, M. V., & Zoccolotti, P. (1988). [http://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(88)90039-5 The Wundt-Jastrow illusion in the study of spatial hemi-inattention]. ''Neuropsychologia'', 26(1), 161–166.
 
* Müller-Lyer, F. C. (1889). Optische Urteilstauschungen. ''Archiv Für Anatomie Und Physiologie'', (Supplement), 263–270.
 
 
* Pecor, C. J. (2001). The boomerangs revisited. ''Linking Ring'', 81(5), 108–109.
 
* Pecor, C. J. (2001). The boomerangs revisited. ''Linking Ring'', 81(5), 108–109.
* Piccardi, L., Palermo, L., Nori, R., Giusberti, F., & Guariglia, C. (2012). Landmark recognition and mental route navigation disorders in patients with imagery neglect and perceptual neglect. In Y. Spiteri & E. M. Galea (Eds.), ''Psychology of neglect'' (pp. 81–103). Hauppauge, N.Y: Nova Science Publishers.
 
* Pick, D. F., & Pierce, K. A. (1993). [http://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1993.76.2.491 Theoretical parallels between the Ponzo illusion and the Wundt-Jastrow illusion]. ''Perceptual and Motor Skills'', 76(2), 491–498.
 
 
* Price, D. (2000). Color changing boomerangs. ''M-U-M'', 89(May), 36–38.
 
* Price, D. (2000). Color changing boomerangs. ''M-U-M'', 89(May), 36–38.
 +
* Rogers, T. (1998). ''Top Secrets''. Martin Breese.
 
* Society of Indian Magicians. (1947). Spell of India. ''Linking Ring'', 27(10), 64–65.
 
* Society of Indian Magicians. (1947). Spell of India. ''Linking Ring'', 27(10), 64–65.
 
* Solomon, E. (n.d.). ''Tales Worth Telling''.
 
* Solomon, E. (n.d.). ''Tales Worth Telling''.
Line 39: Line 47:
 
* Sweigard, M. (1968). The two banana illusion. ''Linking Ring'', 48(1), 72–73.
 
* Sweigard, M. (1968). The two banana illusion. ''Linking Ring'', 48(1), 72–73.
 
* [[Howard Thurston | Thurston, Howard]] (1927) Which Is Larger?. In [[200 More Tricks You Can Do]].
 
* [[Howard Thurston | Thurston, Howard]] (1927) Which Is Larger?. In [[200 More Tricks You Can Do]].
* Tomonaga, M. (2015). [http://doi.org/10.1177/2041669515622090 Fat Face Illusion, or Jastrow Illusion with Faces, in Humans but not in Chimpanzees]. ''I-Perception'', 6(6).
 
* Tronick, E., & Hershenson, M. (1979). [http://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0965(79)90068-7 Size-distance perception in preschool children]. ''Journal of Experimental Child Psychology'', 27(1), 166–184.
 
 
* von Weber, H. (1940). Money from magic. ''Linking Ring'', 20(4), 302–305.
 
* von Weber, H. (1940). Money from magic. ''Linking Ring'', 20(4), 302–305.
 
  
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}
{{Wikipedia|Jastrow_illusion}}
 
 
Peter Prevos, [http://magicperspectives.net/jastrow-illusion/ The Jastrow Illusion in Magic]
 
Peter Prevos, [http://magicperspectives.net/jastrow-illusion/ The Jastrow Illusion in Magic]
  
 
[[Category:Illusions]]
 
[[Category:Illusions]]

Revision as of 21:39, 22 July 2016

The Boomerang Illusion (also known as the Jastrow Illusion) is an effect based on an optical illusion in which two boomerang shapes appear to shrink and grow.

The two figures are identical.

The optical illusion is often credited to Professor Joseph Jastrow, a pioneering psychologist who studied optical illusions at the end of the nineteenth century. The same illusion was published earlier by Felix Müller-Lyer in 1889 and by Wilhelm Wundt a few years later. Psychologists often refer to it as the Jastrow-Wundt illusion of size. This optical illusion has been used by psychologists to investigate how we perceive the size of things. It has also been used to test whether people with brain damage have a full field of vision. The Jastrow Illusion has even been tested with chimpanzees to find out how our perception functions. The psychological mechanism that causes this illusion is still a matter of discussion amongst researchers.

The boomerang illusion has been performed by magicians for almost as long as it has been studied by psychologists. Over the past century, a wide variety of versions of this illusion has been published and marketed under many different names.

The oldest known reference to the Jastrow Illusion as a magic trick is from a 1916 book by Will Goldston, a popular English magician of the first half of the twentieth century. Goldston uses two boomerang shapes with boy scouts drawn on them. The trick is presented as a guessing game, proving the spectator wrong after they point out which of the boy scouts is the largest.

P&L advertisement, circa 1935.

The first widely commercially available version of this illusion uses the inherently magical boomerang to provide context to the routine. P&L marketed the Stretch-It Boomerang Sticks in 1935. These are brightly painted boomerang shapes, one of which contain a gimmick which allows it to be shortened. The original advertising by L&L and a stamp on the wooden props state that a patent for the gimmick was pending. A review of the official registers does, however, not reveal any patent issued for this trick. Irrespective of their patent claims, this original version has been copied several times. Max Andrews’ Vampire Studios in London sold the gimmicked prop as Beaumont's Boomerangs in the 1940s and 50s. The original P&L designs are currently sold by the Viking Magic Company as the Bafflin' Boomerangs and by Magic Makers under the same name.

A rare and interesting innovation to the Boomerang Illusion is the Pad-O-Rang, developed around 1955 by Hollywood magician Merv Taylor. This version adds another dimension by turning the arches into a paddle trick. It consists of two acrylic boomerangs with a small handle which can be used to demonstrate the optical illusion and combine it with the Paddle Move to show colour changes.

Scottish creative force in magic Ian Adair has developed several versions to be performed for children using fish, caterpillars and bananas. He introduced a theatrical innovation by adding a drawing on the back using both arches. In Monkey Puzzle the two bananas become the face of a monkey, in Butterfly Puzzle the caterpillars become a butterfly and in Fishy Tale two fish are eventually eaten by a cat.

George Murray and Tom Jorgenson published a sleight of hand version through Nielsen Magic in 1990. The booklet contains three small plastic boomerangs and instructions for six routines. They are marketed as colour changing boomerangs, but the routines also include the traditional size changes. The same routine was also published by Dale Price in M-U-M in 2000.

Terri Rogers, an English ventriloquist and magician, has created many routines based on geometry and has also produced an original contribution to the Boomerang Illusion. Top of the Bill is a Close-Up Illusion where the boomerangs are cut-outs from a variety poster with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy printed on them. Her routine involves audience participation and at the end of the proceedings, both the magician and the spectator are left with two boomerangs that are actually different in size.

Legendary Japanese magic trick manufacturer Tenyo has also innovated the Boomerang Illusion. The Sakkaku Scale, or Illusion Scale uses three boomerangs, two with kitties printed on them and the third one is a scale to measure the other two.

In 2006 Chuck Leach developed the Boomerang Cards Across. He innovated this old effect by using card fans. In this trick, the optical illusion is not the effect but is used as a method to transpose a selected card from the shortest to the longest fans. The card fans look a bit like a card fan holder that Bridge players use to keep all their cards together.

Bibliography

  • Bateman, L. (1949). Yo-It-Chi. Abracadabra, 8(183), 214–215.
  • Brodahl, L. A. (2015). Scripted! #1: Professors Nightmare and Fiber Optics Extended.
  • Carson, R. (1965). Jimmy Lake, President, Fellowship of Ministers Convention. Linking Ring, 45(2), 111.
  • Dayton, R. (1994). Fish sticks. M-U-M, 83(September), 30–32.
  • de Courcy, K. (1997). A brief talk on the banana. Linking Ring, 77(1), 91–93.
  • Eden, B. (1977). Magic from the “Perception” Perspective. Magic Circular, 71, 63–64.
  • Freer, W. (n.d.). Boomerang Fish. In Freer’s exclusive mysteries. Miracle Factory.
  • Ginn, D. (2010). Baffling boomerangs. Magicana, 57, 10–13.
  • Goldston, W. (1918). An Optical Illusion. In Simple Conjuring Tricks That Anyone Can Perforn (3rd ed.). London: C. Arthur Pearson.
  • Gower, H. (1962). Magic mudguards. Abracadabra, 33(833), 4–6.
  • Hoy, D. (1957). The Bible and magic. Linking Ring, 37(3).
  • Kaufman, R. (2016). Genii Speaks. Genii, 79(2), 10–11.
  • Kleefield, J. (2008). Boomerang Teach-In. Linking Ring, 88(5), 84–85.
  • Pecor, C. J. (2001). The boomerangs revisited. Linking Ring, 81(5), 108–109.
  • Price, D. (2000). Color changing boomerangs. M-U-M, 89(May), 36–38.
  • Rogers, T. (1998). Top Secrets. Martin Breese.
  • Society of Indian Magicians. (1947). Spell of India. Linking Ring, 27(10), 64–65.
  • Solomon, E. (n.d.). Tales Worth Telling.
  • Spragg, B. (1959). Hocus Pocus Parade. Linking Ring, 38(11), 43–46.
  • Sweigard, M. (1968). The two banana illusion. Linking Ring, 48(1), 72–73.
  • Thurston, Howard (1927) Which Is Larger?. In 200 More Tricks You Can Do.
  • von Weber, H. (1940). Money from magic. Linking Ring, 20(4), 302–305.

References

Peter Prevos, The Jastrow Illusion in Magic