Monocular Cues

Monocular cues are things that can provide depth from viewing a scene with only one eye.

Perspective is one example of a monocular cue.  Seeing two parallel lines that converge in the distance , at the horizon, gives people to judge approximately how far something along those lines is.

Another Monocular cue is relative size.  The two boats above are different sizes.  This gives the perception of depth, due to the fact that objects look further away the further they get.  Painters use advantage of this to make their paintings look realistic.

Binocular Cues

Binocular cues occur due to the position of the eyes on the face of most animals.  Taking two images from slightly different angles allows the creature to triangulate the location of the item with high accuracy.  This is also known as stereopsis.

This can be demonstrated in autostereograms, or magic eye images.  By focusing on a 2-D image, you can trick your brain into seeing depth.  This random dot image has a shark raised off of the page.

Figure-Ground Perspective

Figure-Ground Perception is identifying a figure from the background of an image, often a two-color image.

This image is an example of Figure-Ground perspective.  If you look at the black, the figure, you see a person offering their hand out.  However, if you look at the background, the white, you see a face's outline.

Perceptual Constancies- Law of Brightness Constancy

The law of brightness constancy is our ability to realize that color stays the same under widely different conditions of illumination.

 

 

This is a good example of brightness constancy because it shows the same person wearing the same clothes in the day time and night time.  We are able to recognize that although there was a change in lighting, the colors of the clothes/person are still the same.

Perceptual Constancies- Law of Shape Constancy

The law of shape constancy occurs when our brain looks at the same object from different angles and still knows that it is the same object.

This picture is an example of shape constancy because we can understand that the quarter is still the same object when the side is shown.

This is another example of an object that is shown from different perspectives.  We are still able to tell that it is the same object every time.

Perceptual Constancies- Law of Size Constancy

The law of size constancy occurs when we percieve objects as having a constant size, even if the objects are at different distances. 

Example:

This photo represents size constancy because even though the people further along the trail appear smaller, our brains recognize that they are actually relatively the same size as the other people.

Law of Proximity

Law of Proximity

Our minds group objects together that are near each other.

Dot Example 1

We see 5 separate dots on the left. We see a pyramid of 5 dots in a group on the left. The dots on the left are close to each other which is why we group them together. There is quite a bit of space between the ones on the left which is why they look like they are individual.

Dot Example 2

We see three groups of dots. This is because there are big separations in certain place, and some dots are closer than others.

Law of Similarity

Law of Similarity

We tend to group objects together when they look similar.

Black & White Example

We see the rows as separate white circle rows and black circle rows, not columns with mixed colors.

Football Example

When two PA football teams play each other, we can separate them. This is because we assume that each team will be wearing different colors, and we group the similar colors together.

Law of Continuity

Law of Continuity

Our brains follow the most smooth, continuous path/pattern that we can find.

X Example

Our brains see the smoothest, most continuous path. This means we see X's as two straight lines instead of two angles.

Curved Line Example

 The most continuous line is the one highlighted in lighter blue. We see this segment as most continuous because it is the smoother path to take.

Law of Closure

Law of Closure

When things are close together, brains fill in the gaps. The brain groups things together if the majority is there and will become "whole".

IMB Example

http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/psychoux25.jpg

Even though there are gaps in the letters, everybody can clearly see the IBM logo do to the law of closure. The brain ignores the gaps, and the lines are seen as whole letters.

WWF Example

There are also gaps in the panda for the WWF logo. Our brains fill in the gaps that are there and can perceive it as a whole panda.

Law of Motion Perception

Motion perception is the process of inferring the speed and direction of objects that move in a visual scene, given some visual input.  The brain creates a sense of motion by assuming that shrinking objects are retreating, and enlarging objects are approaching. 

An example of when our brains perceive motion is when we look at something in 3D. 

 

 

Although you need 3D glasses to get the full effect, this short clip tricks our minds into thinking that the ball is coming closer to us.  This is because the ball is enlarging, and our brains interpret that as the ball approaching us.