Editing Ernst Mach (section)

==Psychology==
[[File:Mach bands - animation.gif|thumb|right|Exaggerated contrast between edges of the slightly differing shades of gray, appears as soon as they make contact]]
In the area of sensory perception, psychologists remember Mach for the [[optical illusion]] called [[Mach bands]]. The effect exaggerates the contrast between edges of the slightly differing shades of gray as soon as they make contact, by triggering edge-detection in the human visual system.<ref name="Reichenbach"/>{{sfn|Ratliff|1965|p=}}

More clearly than anyone before or since, Mach made the distinction between what he called ''physiological'' (specifically [[Visual space|visual]]) and ''geometrical'' spaces.{{Sfn|Sugden|Mach|1903|p=}}

Mach's views on mediating structures inspired [[B. F. Skinner]]'s strongly [[inductive reasoning|inductive]] position, which paralleled Mach's in the field of psychology.{{sfn|Chiesa|1994|p=}}