Questions

Customer Comments

Very powerful stuff. It's great to have something that demonstrates these principles so well

Barbara Rosen, Learning and Development Specialist, Radian, Philadelphia, PA, USA

I train people in risk management and contract management. The gorilla clip and the fading pictures are great examples of what can happen in front of you without seeing it. A great tool to start my sessions. Great product.

Stephen Boorer, Management Consultant, Cambourne10 Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Some who attended the class still think I showed 2 different videos

Larry Gentile, Project Engineer & Safety Coordinator, Longview Fibre Company, Seattle, WA, USA

Frequently Asked Questions

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

DVD Contents

Which DVDs include the "gorilla/basketball" video?

Surprising Studies Vol 1 and the Surprising Studies Vol 1+2 combination DVD both include the "gorilla/basketball" video as well as several other variants of inattentional blindness demonstrations from those studies.

Which DVDs include the "door" video?

Surprising Studies Vol 2 and the Surprising Studies Vol 1+2 combination DVD both include the "door" study. Both of those DVDs also includes several other real-world person-change videos.

Are the videos on the DVD professionally produced?

The videos included on our DVDs are the original videos and materials used as research stimuli by their creators. Given that these videos originally were created for research purposes rather than for distribution, they do not have Hollywood-level production quality. A couple of videos on Surprising Studies Vol 1 (in the Movie Task category) have fairly poor sound quality as well, although they are still effective demonstrations of failures of visual awareness. The versions of the demonstrations included on our DVDs are the highest quality original versions available.

Do the DVDs come with instructions for presenters?

Each DVD includes brief instructions for how to present the videos. The instructions are not printed -- they are part of the DVD itself, and are accessible via menus. Surprising Studies Vol 2 and the Surprising Studies Vol 1+2 combination DVD both include separate instructions for viewers and tips for presenters. All of the DVDs also include brief explanations for each of the videos.

What is the run-time of the DVDs?

The DVDs are designed as presentation tools, with menu-driven access to each clip. They are not designed to be used by simply pressing play and letting it run. Surprising Studies Volume 1 has a total of 20 videos on it. Surprising Studies Volume 2 has 15 videos. Surprising Studies 1+2 combines all of the contents of both DVDs onto a single DVD. You can learn more about each DVD by visiting the products page.

How many videos are on the DVDs?

Surprising Studies Volume 1 has a total of 20 videos on it. Surprising Studies Volume 2 has 15 videos. Surprising Studies 1+2 combines all of the contents of both DVDs onto a single DVD. You can learn more about each DVD by visiting the products page.

Which License?

Can I purchase an School Teacher License if I want to use the DVD for educational purposes?

Our School Teacher License requirements are more restrictive than most educational licenses. Only full-time school teachers employed by a government-accredited, degree-granting college, secondary school, or primary school qualify to purchase our DVDs with the School Teacher License. If you do not meet all of our licensing requirements, you cannot purchase our DVDs with the School Teacher License, even if you would be using them for educational purposes. Note that even if you do qualify to order a DVD with a School Teacher License, that license permits only limited uses of the DVD. See the Use Restrictions page and the School Teacher License page for details.

Can other faculty in my department use my DVD if I buy it with a School Teacher License?

The School Teacher License permits use only by one faculty person who is the licensee for the DVD. Your department can purchase a "department" copy for use by multiple faculty in their classroom teaching with the Non-Profit License, provided that all of the users individually meet the requirements of our School Teacher License. All users also would have to abide by the use restrictions of the School Teacher License. This policy is intended solely to facilitate classroom teaching by college, secondary school, or primary school faculty. If you are purchasing a DVD for use outside of a school context, you must purchase separate copies of the DVD for each user. We do have volume pricing available in such cases (see our Volume Pricing page for more details).

Can I purchase a DVD with the School Teacher License if I am employed by a hospital but also have a faculty appointment at a college?

If you are employed by a hospital, you would need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License, even if you also have a faculty appointment. Our School Teacher License requires that you be a full-time employee of a school. Hospital employees would not meet this requirement. Even if you are employed by a university, if you would be using the DVD in a hospital setting (e.g., for resident or staff training), you would need to purchase it with the Regular License. The School Teacher License does not permit uses in a hospital context. See the School Teacher License page and the Use Requirements page for details.

Can I purchase a DVD with the School Teacher or Non-Profit License if I would be using it solely for internal training purposes at my company?

If you are employed by a company, you would need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License.

I work for the government. Do I qualify for the School Teacher or Non-Profit License?

You would not meet our School Teacher License Requirements. If you work for a government agency with fewer than 50 employees and you would be using the DVD solely for non-profit governmental purposes, you might meet our Non-Profit License requirements. Employees of government organizations with more than 50 employees in total need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License.

I work for a private driving school. Can I purchase the DVD with the School Teacher License?

Employees or owners of driving schools would need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License.

I work for the military. Can I purchase the DVD with the Non-Profit License?

Given that all military branches have more than 50 employees, you would need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License.

I'm a faculty person at a business school. Can I purchase a DVD with the School Teacher License?

If you are employed full-time by a university and you would be using the DVD solely for classroom teaching at the school, then you could purchase the DVD with the School Teacher License. If you are also employed by a company or if you would be using the DVD in consulting or other non-university activities, you would need to purchase our DVDs with the Regular License.

I work for a police/fire department. Which license is right for me?

Employees of a police or fire department who would be using the DVD for department activities and training can purchase our DVDs with the Non-Profit License.

Permitted Uses

Can I extract one of the videos from the DVD to use as part of another project?

No. Our DVD may not be duplicated and no part of the DVD may be extracted without violating the terms of the license agreement.

Can I extract one of the videos from the DVD and use it in a Powerpoint presentation?

Our licenses do not permit any of the clips to be extracted from our DVDs -- they must be presented directly from the DVD itself and cannot be incorporated directly into powerpoint. All of our DVDs are designed as presentation tools, with menu-driven access to each clip. If you queue up the DVD to the Presenter Menu, you can rapidly access any video. If you are using a computer, you can easily switch between the DVD application and powerpoint. It is also possible to create an action link in powerpoint that switches from powerpoint to your DVD playing application without leaving your presentation. We understand that this might be a little more inconvenient than being able to incorporate clips directly into powerpoint, but these restrictions underlie our licensing of the videos for our DVDs, and for some of the demos, to ensure that our DVD is the only source for the videos.

Can I use the videos on these DVD in my own research?

Yes, you may use our DVD in your scholarly research. In any publication, you should cite the journal article(s) describing the original research. Each DVD includes citations and credits for the demonstrations. You may not, however, include videos from the DVD as part of any publication or product. If you would like to reprint a still image from one of the videos as part of a publication, please email dvd@viscog.com and we will direct you to the appropriate copyright holder.

Can I reprint still figures from one of the videos in my own publications or reports?

You may not extract still images from our DVDs. However, we may be able to provide a still figure from one of the videos for use in your publication or report or we may be able to direct you to the appropriate copyright holder. Email dvd@viscog.com for more information.

My presentation will be recorded. Can the film crew record the videos as I present them?

No. Our DVDs and their contents may not be recorded or incorporated into any other program. If your presentation will be recorded, please inform those doing the recording that they may not include our videos in the recording. Please make sure that the camera is not focused on the videos when they are being shown.

Can I use one of the videos on a television program?

No. Our DVDs and their contents may not be included in any broadcast in the popular media (television, web, or otherwise).

Can I make extra copies of a DVD for other people in my organization?

No. Our DVDs and their contents may not be duplicated, extracted, or copied in any way. Our DVDs are licensed to an individual user. If multiple people in your organization would need to use the DVD in their presentations, you would need to purchase multiple copies of the DVD. If you are interested in doing so, we do have volume pricing for purchases of 3 or more DVDs. See our Volume Pricing page for details.

Can other people in my organization use my DVD?

The DVD is licensed to an individual user. If multiple people in your organization would need to use a DVD in their presentations, you would need to purchase multiple copies of the DVD. If you are interested in doing so, we do have volume pricing for purchases of 3 or more DVDs. See our Volume Pricing page for details.

Can I put one of the videos on a corporate intranet?

No. Our DVDs and their contents may not be posted on any website, even if the website is password protected. The licenses for our DVDs permit use only for in-person presentations by the licensee, and the videos can only be shown directly from the DVD itself.

Can I use a DVD over the internet for my distance learning classes?

No. Our DVDs and their contents may not be posted on any website or used over the internet, even if the website is password protected. The licenses for our DVDs permit use only for in-person presentations by the licensee, and the videos can only be shown directly from the DVD itself. The DVD or presentations of it may not be broadcast in any way.

How should I cite these DVDs in presentations and publications?

Use of one of our DVDs in a presentation should include a reference to http://www.viscog.com and queries about the DVD or its contents should be directed to our website or to dvd@viscog.com. In a talk, class, or speaking engagement, you may make this acknowlegment verbally. You may also do so on a slide. If you wish to cite a DVD in a print source, please include a citation such as the following: Viscog Productions, Inc. (2003). Surprising studies of visual awareness, volume 1 (DVD). Champaign, IL: Viscog Productions. http://www.viscog.com.

Ordering

Can I buy just one of the videos from a DVD?

Our DVDs are the only form in which we distribute any of our videos, and the videos can only be played from the DVDs themselves -- we do not sell or distribute videos individually.

Why does the School Teacher License for Volume 1 and Volume 2 cost 45 USD?

The School Teacher License is deeply discounted so that the videos remain available and affordable for teaching at colleges, secondary schools, and primary schools. The price is comparable to that of a typical scientific book and is a fraction of the price of videos typically sold for teaching purposes.

Do I need to purchase both a DVD and a license?

Each DVD is purchased with a license that fits your intended uses and qualifications. Each DVD is purchased together with a license -- they are not purchased separately. The license specifies the permitted uses of the DVD.

When I tried to place an order online, my purchase was declined. Can you help?

In most cases, when an order is declined and you receive an error, the purchase was actually declined by the bank that issued your card rather than by our processing system. That could happen for a number of reasons, but the most common reason is that some cards (especially corporate cards) have restrictions that, by default, do not permit purchasing of DVDs online. If you contact your purchasing department, they might be able to authorize the charge and permit the purchase. Or, if you call the number on the back of your card, your card company should be able to allow the purchase.

My organization needs a W-9 to place an order. How can I get one?

Send us email to dvd@viscog.com with your fax number and a request for a W-9 and we will fax it to you.

My organization needs a proforma invoice to place an order. How can I get one?

Send us email to dvd@viscog.com with the name, shipping address, phone number, fax number, and email address of the person who will be the licensee for the DVD. Please also indicate the DVD you wish to purchase and the desired license and shipping type. If you would like an invoice for a DVD with a School Teacher License or a Non-Profit License, please also provide all of the information requested on the ordering page for that license. We will email you an invoice as a jpg image that you can print. Please note that we do require payment in advance. For more details, please see the Payments page.

I want to use the DVD in consulting or for-profit talks. Can I upgrade to the Regular License from the School Teacher License or the Non-Profit License?

Yes. The fastest way to upgrade is to place a new order for the DVD with a Regular License from our website. In the Special Instructions page of the order form, state that you are purchasing an upgrade to the Regular License and provide your original order number. If you no longer have the original order number, please provide as much information about your original order as possible (e.g., the shipping address that was used, the approximate date of the purchase, etc). When you place your order on the system, it will authorize the full price of the Regular License to your card (much like a hotel authorizes a charge to your card at the beginning of the stay but actually charges it when you end your stay). When we charge your card, we will subtract the amount of your earlier order. So, for example, an upgrade of Volume 1 from the School Teacher License ($45) to the Regular License ($195) would cost $150.

Will I receive a receipt with my order?

When your order is processed, we will send email to the address provided with your order. This email will include shipping information and a receipt. If you need a receipt on our company letterhead, email dvd@viscog.com to request a receipt and provide your order number or other information that would help us identify your order. We will then email the receipt as a jpg image that you can open and print using any web browser.

I bought a DVD already -- can you send me a QuickTime or Windows Media format version of a video?

The DVD is the only form in which we distribute any of the videos, and the videos can only be played from the DVD itself -- we do not sell or distribute videos individually or in any other format.

I lost the DVD I bought. Can you send me a replacement?

As with any DVD store, we do not replace lost or stolen DVDs. We suggest you contact your credit card company -- some card companies will automatically pay for the replacement of lost or stolen items purchased with their card. Your insurance policy might also pay for a replacement.

Payment

What forms of payment can I use?

We accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover. You can order directly from our website. For customers in the USA, we can also accept payment in advance by check, although that payment method is slower. In all cases, we require payment in advance. For more details, see the Payments page.

Can I pay with a purchase order?

We do not accept purchase orders -- we require payment in advance. For more details, see the Payments page.

Can I pay by check?

Customers in the USA can pay in advance by check, although we cannot ship a DVD until we receive the check. For detailed instructions on how to pay by check, see the Payments page.

Can I pay by electronic funds transfer?

We do not accept payment by electronic funds transfer. We accept payment by credit card from our website or payment by check (for USA customers only). For more details, see the Payments page.

Can you send me a DVD and bill me later?

No. We require payment in advance. For more details, see the Payments page.

DVD Playback

Why won't the DVD play on my computer?

Please verify that your computer has a DVD player. Many older computers have only a CD player or a CD burner, but these drives will not play DVD disks. You must have a DVD playing drive on your computer to be able to use the DVD. If you do have a DVD drive, but the disk doesn't start playing automatically when you insert it, you might need to run the DVD player application (e.g., DVD Player on Apple Computers or Windows Media Player on Windows Machines). These applications typically come preinstalled on any computer with a DVD player. Try running the application and pressing play on the controller that appears. (Be patient after pressing play. Sometimes DVD players take a moment before starting.) If you have playback problems with the pre-installed DVD playing application, we highly recommend using the free, open-source program VLC Player. It works on all platforms, and we have found it to be the most robust DVD player application available. It is available from videolan.org. If you cannot play the DVD with the VLC player, please try testing the DVD in a regular DVD player attached to a television set. If the DVD plays successfully on a regular DVD player/television, then the DVD is functional and the problem is likely due to your particular computer hardware or software. We have yet to encounter a DVD playback problem that wasn't resolved by using VLC Player, though. If you have tried the DVD in a regular DVD player and it fails to play, please email dvd@viscog.com to arrange for a return and exchange. Please note, though, that we can only exchange a DVD within the first 30 days after the purchase (see our warranty page for details). Please contact us before returning any DVD.

Why can't I install the DVD?

DVDs do not need to be "installed." All of our DVDs are playable DVDs rather than data DVDs. That means they should work like any movie DVD you might rent from a video rental store. There is nothing to install on your computer. You cannot copy the contents to your hard drive. If your computer has a DVD drive, it should have an application pre-installed to play the DVD. The application should recognize the DVD when you insert it into your DVD drive and should start playing it. If it does not begin playing automatically, please read the answers to other questions in this F.A.Q. page that might address other reasons why the DVD might not play.

Why doesn't the DVD appear on my desktop?

Please verify that your computer has a DVD drive. If your computer only has a CD drive or a CD burner, it will not be able to read our DVDs. This disk is a DVD, not a CD. Only a DVD drive will be able to play it.

Where are the videos on the DVD?

If you try to open the DVD icon that appears on your desktop, you should see only two folders or files: Video_TS and Audio_TS. Those are the files that allow your DVD player or computer DVD drive to recognize that this is a playable DVD. Your computer should have a DVD playing application that will recognize the disk and interpret the contents of the DVD. There are no files to copy or install on your computer and you do not need to do anything with the Video_TS or Audio_TS files to make the disk work. In fact, you do not need to "open" the DVD at all. All you need to do is insert it and then run the DVD player application. The DVD is designed as a presentation tool, with menu-driven access to the videos. You cannot copy individual videos from the DVD to your computer, and the videos are not available individually in any other format.

My DVD doesn't seem to have sound. Is it defective?

Your DVD is not defective. Most of the videos on our DVDs are entirely silent (as are all the menus). On Surprising Studies Volume 1, only the first 4 in the Movie Task category have sound. On Surprising Studies Volume 2, only videos 2, 3, 4, and 7 have sound. The same videos have sound on the Volume 1+2 combination DVD. Even for the videos with sound, the effects work well if you turn the sound off (they are designed to demonstrate failures of visual awareness).