Depth Perception

The ability to perceive the world in three dimensions and to judge the distance of objects. It involves both binocular and monocular cues.

Visual Cliff

An experimental apparatus used to study depth perception in infants and animals, consisting of a shallow side and a deep side, to see if subjects would cross over the apparent drop.

Binocular Cues

Depth cues that depend on the use of both eyes. These include convergence and retinal disparity, which help us gauge distance and depth.

Convergence

A binocular cue for perceiving depth; it involves the inward angle of the eyes when focusing on a close object. The greater the inward strain, the closer the object.

Retinal Disparity

A binocular cue for depth perception that arises from the slightly different images that each eye receives due to their horizontal separation. The brain processes these differences to perceive depth.

Monocular Cues

Depth cues that can be perceived using only one eye. Examples include relative size, interposition, and linear perspective.

Relative Clarity

A monocular cue for depth perception where clearer objects are perceived as closer, while hazier objects are viewed as farther away.

Relative Size

A monocular cue that suggests that if two objects are similar in size, the one that appears larger is perceived to be closer.

Texture Gradient

A monocular cue that describes how texture appears denser and less detailed as the distance from the viewer increases, helping to indicate depth.

Linear Perspective

A monocular cue based on the parallel lines that converge in the distance; the more they converge, the greater the perception of depth.

Grouping

A perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups, based on principles such as proximity, similarity, and continuity.

Color Constancy

The tendency for a color to appear the same under varying lighting conditions, allowing us to perceive consistent color regardless of changes in illumination.

Perceptual Adaptation

The ability to adjust to changes in sensory input, such as distorted visual fields, allowing for a more stable perception of the environment over time.

Stroboscopic Movement

An illusion of movement created when a series of still images are shown in rapid succession, as in motion pictures.

Phi Phenomenon

The optical illusion of perceiving continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession, such as lights blinking in sequence.

Autokinetic Effect

A visual phenomenon in which a stationary point of light in a dark environment appears to move due to eye movement and the lack of reference points.

Gestalt Psychology

A psychological approach that emphasizes the whole of perception rather than the sum of its parts, focusing on how we organize sensory information.

Figure and Ground (Figure-Ground)

The perceptual distinction between an object (the figure) and its background (the ground), which helps us recognize and interpret visual stimuli.

Interposition

A monocular cue for depth perception where one object partially blocks another, indicating that the blocked object is farther away.

Perceptual Constancies

The tendency to perceive objects as stable and unchanging despite changes in sensory input, including size, shape, and color constancies.

Schemas

Cognitive frameworks or concepts that help organize and interpret information based on prior knowledge and experiences. Schemas influence how we perceive new information.

Perceptual Set

A mental predisposition to perceive things in a certain way, influenced by experiences, expectations, and context. It shapes how we interpret stimuli.

Attention

The cognitive process of selectively focusing on certain stimuli while ignoring others. It plays a crucial role in perception and information processing.

Selective Attention

The ability to focus on a specific object or task in the presence of multiple distractions. It helps filter out irrelevant information and concentrate on what is most important.

Cocktail Party Effect

The phenomenon where individuals can focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment while simultaneously filtering out other sounds, demonstrating selective attention.

Inattentional Blindness

A psychological phenomenon where individuals fail to notice an unexpected stimulus in their visual field when their attention is focused on another task, highlighting the limits of attention.

Change Blindness

The failure to notice significant changes in a visual scene, often due to a lack of attention. This can occur even when the changes are quite obvious once pointed out.