AP Psychology - Monocular Cues

Monocular Cues

available to each eye separately

Relative Size

If we assume that two objects are similar in size, we perceive the one that casts the smaller retinal image as farther away.

Interposition

If one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer.

Relative Clarity

Because light from distant objects passes through more atmosphere, we perceive hazy objects as farther away than sharp, clear objects.

Texture Gradient

A gradual change from a coarse, distinct texture to a fine, indistinct texture signals increasing distance.

Relative Height

We perceive objects higher in our field of vision as farther away. Because we perceive the lower part of a figure-ground illustration as closer, we perceive it as a figure.

Relative Motion (Motion Parallax)

As we move, objects that are actually stable may appear to move. Objects closer than the fixation point appear to move backwards and objects beyond the fixation point appear to move with you. The farther away the objects are, the faster they will move.

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines appear to converge with distance. The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.

Light and Shadow

Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes. given two identical objects, the dimmer one seems farther away.