Dr Helen Ross

I have investigated the perception and performance of divers under water, particularly their adaptation to the optical distortions caused by the facemask. I have also studied weight and mass perception in high and low gravity environments, such as the human centrifuge, parabolic flight (see photo above) and Spacelab. I am currently interested in the history of perception, especially the Moon Illusion, and in the perception of the outdoor environment. I am also working on Gaelic psychology terminology; here are some suggestions for Psychiatry, Perception,  Cognition, Emotions

 

 

Hobbies

Hill walking - Compleat Munroist 1998 photo. Member of Scottish Ski Club.

Traditional folk music. I play concertina photo  and smallpipes. Member of Shiftin Bobbins Ceilidh Band, Lowland and Borders Pipers' Society, Stirling Folk Club, Traditional Music and Song Association.

Gaelic. Cert HE from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig SMO. Member of Gaelic learners' association CLI, and An Comunn Gaidhealach. 

Some of my publications are:

Books
Ross, H.E. and Plug, C.  The mystery of the moon illusion: Exploring size perception. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 2002
Ross, H.E. and Murray, D.J. E.H. Weber on the Tactile Senses. Hove: Erlbaum (UK) Taylor & Francis, 1996. (Second edition).
Ross, H.E.  Behaviour and Perception in Strange Environments.  London: Allen and Unwin, 1974.

Papers on Size Perception and the Moon Illusion

Ross, H.E. & Cowie, A. The moon illusion in children's drawings. International Journal of Arts and Technology, 2010, 3, Nos 2/3, 275-287. pdf
Ross, H.E. Context effects in the scaling and discrimination of size. In: Berglund, B. & Borg, E. (Eds). Fechner Day 2003. Stockholm: International Society for Psychophysics, 2003, 257-262. pdf

Ross, H.E. Levels of processing in the size-distance paradox. Ch.8 in Harris, L.R  & Jenkin, M. (Eds.) Levels of perception (pp. 143-162).  New York: Springer Verlag, 2002. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Cleomedes (c.1st century AD) on the celestial illusion, atmospheric enlargement, and size-distance invariance. Perception 2000, 29, 863-871. pdf
Ross, H.E. Ancient size scaling. In: Bonnet, C. (Ed) Fechner Day 2000 (pp. 309-314). Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics. Strasbourg: Université Louis Pasteur. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Plug, C. The history of size constancy and size illusions. Chapter 18 in:  Walsh, V. & Kulikowski, J.J. (Eds.) Perceptual Constancy: Why things look as they do. (pp. 499-528). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. pdf
Ross, H.E.,  Craven, B.J. & Pascal, E. Changes in perceived image size after PRK surgery. Bulletin of the Applied Vision Association, 1997, Issue 120, 21-22. pdf
Plug, C. and Ross, H.E. The natural moon illusion: a multi-factor angular account. Perception, 1994, 23, 321-333. pdf
Plug, C. and Ross, H.E.  Historical review of the moon illusion.  Ch.2 in: Hershenson, M. (Ed.) The Moon Illusion (pp.5-27). Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates,  1989. pdf

Ross, H.E.  Visual-vestibular interaction in size perception.  Report to the Visual Research Trust.  Dept. of Psychology, University of Stirling, July, 1982. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Ross, G.M.  Did Ptolemy understand the moon illusion?  Perception, 1976,  5, 377-385. pdf
Mollon, J.D. and Ross, H.E.  Gregory on the Sun Illusion.  Perception, 1975, 4, 115-118. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Mist, murk and visual perception.  New Scientist, 1975, 66, 658-660. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Water, fog and the size-distance invariance hypothesis.  British Journal of Psychology, 1967, 58, 301-313. pdf
Gregory, R.L. and Ross, H.E.  Visual constancy during movement: 1. Effects of S's forward and backward movement on size constancy.  Perceptual and Motor Skills,  1964, 18, 3-8. pdf
Gregory, R.L. and Ross, H.E.  Visual constancy during movement: 2.  Size constancy using one or both eyes or proprioceptive information.  Perceptual and Motor Skills,  1964, 18, 23-26.pdf

Papers on Outdoor Perception

O'Shea, R.P. & Ross, H.E. (2007) Judgments of visually perceived eye level (VPEL) in outdoor scenes: Effects of slope and height. Perception, 2007, 36, 1168-1178. pdf

Ross, H.E. Judgements of frontal slope in in nearby outdoor scenes. In: Kornbrot, D.E., Msetfi, R.M., MacRae, A.W.(Eds.) Fechner Day 2006 (pp.257-262). St Albans, UK: International Society for Psychophysics. pdf

Ross, H.E., Nawaz, S. & O'Shea, R.P. Judgements of eye level in outdoor scenes. In: Brookhuis, K.A., de Waard, D., Weikert, C. M. Proceedings of Europe Chapter of  the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Martlesham Heath, UK, Nov.11-12, 1999. Maastricht, NL: Shaker Publishing, 2000, 11-14. pdf
Ross, H.E. Environment, age and frontal slope perception. In: Grondin, S. & Lacouture, Y. (Eds.) Fechner Day 98 (pp. 332-337). Proc. 14th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics. Quebec, Canada: The International Society for Psychophysics, 1998. pdf

Ross, H.E. Scaling the heights. Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal, 1994, XXXV (No.185), 402-410. pdf

Ross, H.E. Orientation anisotropy: Some caveats in interpreting group differences and developmental changes.  Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics,  1992, 12, 215-219. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Shehab, N. Environmental and developmental factors in geometrical illusions. In:  Lockhead, G.R (Ed.) Fechner Day '91 (pp. 209-214)  Proc. 7th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics, Durham, N.C.  1991. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Environmental influences on geometrical illusions.  In: Müller, F. (Ed.) Fechner Day '90, (pp. 216-221). Wurzburg: International Society for Psychophysics, 1990. pdf

McLeod, R.W. and Ross, H.E.  Optic flow and cognitive factors in time-to-collision estimates.  Perception, 1983, 12, 417-423. pdf

Underwater Perception and Performance
Ross, H.E. Do judgements of distance and greyness follow the physics of aerial perspective? In: A.Garriga Trillo, P.R. Minon, C. Garcia-Gallego, P. Lubin, J.M. Merino and A. Villarino (Eds.), Fechner Day '93 (pp. 233-238). Palma de Mallorca, Spain: International Society for Psychophysics, 1993. pdf

Ross, H.E. Orientation and movement in divers. In: Warren, R, and Wertheim, A.H. (Eds)  The perception and control of self motion. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1990, 463-486. pdf

Emmerson, P. and Ross, H.E. Variation in colour constancy with visual information in the underwater environment. Acta Psychologica, 1987, 65, 101-113. pdf

Emmerson, P. and Ross, H.E. The effect of brightness on colour recognition under water. Ergonomics, 1986, 29, 1647-1658. pdf
Emmerson, P. and Ross, H. Colour constancy with change of viewing distance under water. Perception, 1985, 14, 349-358.pdf

Wells, M.J. and Ross, H.E. Distortion and adaptation in underwater sound localization. Aviation, Space, and  Environmental Medicine, 1980, 8, 767-774. pdf
Ross, H.E. The direction of apparent movement during transient pressure vertigo. Undersea Biomedical Research,1976, 3, 403-410. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Franklin, S.S. Depth estimation by divers. In: Drew, E.A., Lythghoe, J.N. and Woods, J.D. (Eds) Underwater Research . London: Academic Press, 1976, 191-198. pdf

Ross, H.E. and Rejman, M.H. Narcosis and visual attention. In: Drew, E.A., Lythghoe, J.N. and Woods, J.D. (Eds) Underwater Research . London: Academic Press, 1976, 209-216. pdf

Ross, H.E. and Rejman, M.H. Adaptation to speed distortions under water. British Journal of Psychology. 1972, 63, 257-264. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Lennie, P. Adaptation and counteradaptation to complex optical distortion. Perception and Psychophysics, 1972, 12, 273-277. pdf

Ross, H.E. Spatial perception under water. Ch.3 in: Woods, J.D. and Lythgoe, J.N. (Eds.) Underwater Science (pp. 69-101). London: Oxford University Press, 1971. pdf

Ross, H.E. Adaptation of divers to curvature distortion under water. Ergonomics, 1970, 13, 489-499. pdf
Ross, H.E., Franklin, S.S., Weltman, G. and Lennie, P. Adaptation of divers to size distortion underwater. British Journal of Psychology. 1970, 61, 365-373. pdf
Franklin, S.S., Ross, H.E., and Weltman, G. Size-distance invariance in perceptual adaptation. Psychonomic Science,1970, 21, 229-231. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Lennie, P. Visual stability during bodily movement under water. Underwater Association Report,1968, 3, 55-57. pdf

Ross, H.E. Personality of student divers. Underwater Association Report, 1968, 3,59-62. pdf

Ross, H.E. Stereoscopic acuity under water. Underwater Association Report, 1967, 2, 61-64. pdf

Papers on Weight, Skills and Altered Force Environments

Ross, H.E. Haptic perception in space travel. Chapter 11 in Grunwald, M. (Ed) Human haptic perception: Basics and applications. Basel: Birkhauser, 2008, 273-280. pdf
Ross, H.E. Astronauts' perception of heaviness and limb position. The Bulletin. Scottish Branch of the British Psychological Society, 1997, Issue 24, 32-35. pdf[Reprinted in Human Performance in Extreme Environments, 1998, 3 (1), 34-36]

Ross, H.E. and Synodinos, N.E. Weight estimation and buoyancy adaptation in cold water. In: Ward, L.M. (Ed.) Fechner Day '94 (pp. 185-190),. Vancouver: International Society for Psychophysics, 1994. pdf
Ross, H.E. Motor skills under varied gravitoinertial force in parabolic flight. Acta Astronautica, 1991, 23, 85-95. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Perceptual and motor skills of divers under water.  International Reviews of Ergonomics, 1989, 2, 155-181. pdf
Ross, H.E. and  Roche, P.  Sex, handedness and weight discrimination.  Neuropsychologia,1987, 25, 841-.844. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Brodie, E.E. Weber fractions for weight and mass as a function of stimulus intensity. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1987, 39A, 77-88. pdf
Ross, H.E., Schwartz, E. and Emmerson, P.  The nature of sensorimotor adaptation to altered G-levels: Evidence from mass-discrimination. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine, 1987, 58, (9, Suppl.), A148-A152. pdf

Ross, H.E. and Schwartz, E. The rate of adaptation to altered G in the human centrifuge: Implications for simulations of mass-discrimination in spaceflight. Proc. 3rd European Symposium on Life Sciences Research in Space, Graz, Sept 1987 (ESA SP-271, Dec 1987). pdf
Ross, H.E., Brodie, E.E. and Benson, A.J.  Mass-discrimination in weightlessness and readaptation to earth's gravity. Experimental Brain Research, 1986, 64, 358-366.pdf
Ross, H.E. and Benson, A.J.  The Weber fraction for moment of inertia.  In: Berglund, B., Berglund, U. & Teghtsoonian, R. (Eds.) Fechner Day '86. Stockholm, Sweden: International Society for Psychophysics.1986, 71-76. pdf
Ross, H.E., Schwartz, E. and Emmerson, P.  Mass discrimination in weightlessness improves with arm movements of higher acceleration.  Naturwissenschaften, 1986, 73, 453-454. pdf
Brodie, E.E. and Ross, H.E.  Sensorimotor mechanisms in weight discrimination.  Perception and Psychophysics,1984, 36, 477-481. pdf
Ross, H.E.  How important are changes in body weight for mass perception?  Acta Astronautica,  1981, 8,1051-1058. pdf
Synodinos, N.E. and Ross, H.E.  Water temperature and weight discrimination.  Ergonomics, 1979, 22,1083-1093. pdf

Ross, H.E. and Rejman, M.H. Weight discrimination in water. In: Flemming, N.C. (Ed.) Science Diving International. British Sub Aqua Club. Andover: Standard Press. 1973, 163-167. pdf
Ross, H.E., Rejman, M.H. and Lennie, P.  Adaptation to weight transformation in water.  Ergonomics, 1972, 15, 387-397. pdf
Ross, H.E. and Gregory, R.L.  Weight illusions and weight discrimination - a revised hypothesis.  Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,  1970, 22, 318-328. pdf
Ross, H.E.  When is a weight not illusory?  Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1969, 21, 346-355. pdf

Papers on the History of Weight Perception

Ross, H.E. and Teghtsoonian, M. The curious case of Luther Trant and Weber’s law. In : Elliott, M.A. & Antonijevic, S. et al. (Eds) Fechner Day 2009 (pp. 271-276). (Proceeedings of the 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics, Galway, Ireland). abstract. pdf

Ross, H.E. Tactile sensory anisotropy - Weber's contribution. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance  1999, 25, 1159-1161. pdf
Murray, D.J., Ellis, R.R., Bandomir, C.A. & Ross, H.E. Charpentier (1891) on the size-weight illusion. Perception and Psychophysics 1999, 61, 1681-1685.
Ross, H.E. The prehistory of weight perception. In: Killeen, P.R. & Uttal, W.R. (Eds.) Fechner Day '99: The End of 20th Century Psychophysics (pp. 31-36). Proc. 15th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Psychophysics. Tempe, Arizona, USA: The International Society for Psychophysics, 1999. pdf
Ross, H.E. Weber and Fechner on the relation between discriminability and subjective magnitude for constant physical intensity. In: Masin, S.C. (Ed.), Fechner Day '96.(pp. 387-392). Padua, Italy: The International Society for Psychophysics, 1996. pdf
Ross, H.E. Weber then and now. Perception, 1995, 24, 599-602. pdf
Ross, H.E. Weber on temperature and weight perception. In: C-A. Possamaï (Ed.), Fechner Day '95 (pp. 29-34). Cassis, France: International Society for Psychophysics, 1995. pdf
Murray, D.J. and Ross, H.E.  E.H. Weber and Fechner's psychophysics. In: Brozek, J. &  Gundlach,H. (Eds).  Passauer Schriften zur Psychologiegeschichte.  Nr.6  G.T. Fechner and Psychology   (pp.79-86).  International Gustav Theodor Fechner Symposium, Passau, 1987.  Passau, 1988. pdf
Ross, H.E.  Die Arbeiten von Weber und Fechner über Handigkeit und Gewichtsunterscheidung: Ein Vergleich mit aktuellen Forschungen. [Weber and Fechner on handedness and weight discrimination: A comparison with  recent work] Psychophysische Grundlagen Mentaler Prozesse (in memoriam G.Th. Fechner).  Ed. H-G. Geissler & K. Reschke.  Karl-Marx-Universität, Leipzig.  1987, 269-285. German pdf  English pdf
Ross, H.E. and Bischof, K.  Wundt's views on Sensations of Innervation: A reevaluation.  Perception,  1981, 10, 319-329. pdf

Miscellaneous

Ross, H.E. Sensation and perception. Ch.2. in: Gupta, D.S. & Gupta, R.M. (Eds.) Psychology for psychiatrists (pp. 20-40). London: Whurr, 2000.
Ross, H.E., On the possible relations between discriminability and apparent magnitude. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 1997, 50, pp. 187-203. pdf
Murray, D.J. and Ross, H.E.  Vives (1538) on memory and recall.  Canadian Psychology. 1982, 23, 22-31. pdf

Ross, H.E. Sleep and wakefulness in the Arctic under an irregular regime. In: Tromp, S.W. (Ed) Biometeorology (Proc. 2nd International Bioclimatological Congress), Oxford: Pergamon, 1962, 389-394. pdf

Ross, H.E. Patterns of swearing. Discovery. Nov 1960, 479-481. pdf

Kuo, C., Ross, H.E., Tennant, S.M. Crew and passenger behaviour. Safety at Sea International, November 1994, 8-12.

Gaelic

Ros, E. Nam aonar san t-sneachd air Sliabh Ochaill (Alone in the snow on the Ochils). Cothrom, 2011, 67,40-41. pdf

Ros, E.E. Pìobaireachd, cogadh agus sìth (Piping, war and peace). Cothrom, 2008, 55, 40-41.pdf

Ros, E. Gealach bhuidhe na Sultaine - carson a tha i a' coimhead cho mòr agus cho dearg? (The harvest moon - why does it look so big and red?). The Scotsman, 22.9.07, p.56. jpg

Rosach, E. Briseadh na cloiche - Sgeulachd Catrìona (Breaking the stne - Catriona's tale). Gath, 2007, 8, 67-68. pdf

Ros, E. Fon Ghrèin (agus i dubh) ann an Ghana (Under the black sun in Ghana). Cothrom, 2006, 48, 18. pdf