The point, however, in which this ‘lightness’ of the inward-pointed line differs from that of the small or short line is its space-filling quality.  It suggests movement in a certain direction, and, while giving the mechanical effect of that movement as completed, seems also in a sense to cover that space.  We see from F. 180 (3), (4), and 200 (3), that the subject does not shrink from large spaces between the lines, and does not, as in Exp.  I. (a), 4 and 5, bring the variable, which in both cases is evidently ‘heavier,’ to the center.  This must be from the fact that the empty space does not in this experiment feel empty—­it is filled with energy of the suggested movement.  This view is confirmed by the dislike which the subjects show to the position F. 40; F., being ‘lighter,’ but the object of attention as close to the center, might well balance V. far out.  But as if the whole variable field would be in that case ‘overfilled,’ the records show 50 per cent. of refusals to choose for this position.

In brief, then, a straight line suggesting movements in a certain direction has the effect, in the general scheme of mechanical balance, of a static position in which this movement has been carried out, with the added suggestion of the filling of the space over which such movement is suggested.

A few additional experiments were made with a point on the upper end of V. The groups of III. (a) are maintained almost exactly:  F. 120 is again strikingly ‘mechanical’; after F. 120 there are only two mechanical choices out of nineteen; while for F. 40, as in Exp.  III. (a), out of six choices, four are either refusals or question-marked.

Exp.  IV.  Both lines took oblique directions, and, to get a pleasing effect, were pointed at both ends.  They were of the usual size, 80x10 mm., but 1 mm. broader to allow for the effect of length given by the points.  F. was fixed at 45 deg., as in III. (a), on the points 40, 80, 120 and 160; V. moved also on fixed points, 60, 100, 140, 180, for each position of F., but on each point was adjusted at a pleasing angle.  Thus, there were four positions of V. to each of F., each with one or two angular positions; V. was always in the first quadrant.

The numbers of the table give the angular degrees of V.

  F. 40, V. 60:—­(1) 10 12 38 44, (2) 50 57* 60, (3) 70. 
     V. 100:—­(1) 15 15 30 30, (2) 50 55 50, (3) 69 70*. 
     V. 140:—­(1) 12* 14 18 18, (2) 60 60 49, (3) 72. 
     V. 180:—­(1) 12 10 38, (2) 60 50, (3) 75.
        [Many refusals at 140 and 180.]

  F. 80, V. 60:—­(1) 11, (2) 25 35 36*, (3) 45 48 55 58 60, (4) 69. 
     V. 100:—­(1) 16 15, (2) 24 27 35 40, (3) 52, (4) 62 74*. 
     V. 140:—­(1) 10 15 16, (2) 22 28, (3) 40 40 59 59, (4) 70. 
     V. 180:—­(1) 14 8, (2) 28, (3) 41 46, (4) 68 79.

  F. 120, V. 60:  (1) 28, (2) 42 44 35, (3) 52 58 62 65 65. 
     V. 100:—­(1) 9, (2) 23 25, (3) 38 40 40 42 58, (4) 68 70. 
     V. 140:—­(1) 10, (2) 20 26 21* 24 29, (3) 34 42 42 44 55*, (4) 75. 
     V. 180:—­(1) 17 26, (2) 40 42 46, (3) 62 64 70 70*.