When You First See the Tabletop Illusion Figure in the Text

Essay

When you first see the tabletop illusion figure in the text, it is clear that the long table is on the left and the wide table is on the right. However, the two tabletops are identical in shape and size-you can verify this by tracing one of the tabletops and then fitting the tracing over the other tabletop, which it will cover exactly. Illustrate: (A) What does this illusion tell you about the visual system? (B) Why is the illusion sustained, even when you know the tables are the same size?