The Perception of Groups

Gestalt Laws
 Figure-ground
• When perceiving a visual field, some objects
(figure) seem prominent, and other aspects of
the field recede into back-ground (ground).
 Proximity
• When we perceive an assortment of objects,
we tend to see objects that are close to each
other as forming a group.
 Similarity
• We tend to group objects on the basis of their
similarity.
 Continuity
• We tend to perceive smoothly flowing or
continuous forms rather than disrupted or
discontinuous ones.
 Closure
• We tend to perceptually close up, or
complete, objects that are not complete.
 Symmetry
• We tend to perceive objects forming mirror
images about their center
 Perceptual Constancy
• It occurs when our perception of an object
remains the same even when a proximal
sensation of the distal object changes.
– Size Constancy – the perception than an object
maintains the same size despite changes in the
size of the proximal stimulus.
– Shape Constancy – the perception that an object
maintains the same shape despite the changes in
its orientation and hence in the proximal retinal
image.
Size Constancy
Shape Constancy
 Depth Perception
• Depth is the distance from a surface, usually
using your own body as a reference surface
when speaking in terms of depth perception.
– Monocular Depth Cues – can be represented in
just two dimensions and observed with just one
eye.
– Binocular Depth – based on the receipt of sensory
information in three dimensions from both eyes.
 Monocular Depth Cues
• Texture Gradient
• Relative Size
• Interposition
• Linear Perspective
• Aerial Perspective
• Location in the picture plain
• Motion Parallax
Texture Gradient
Relative Size
Interposition
Linear Perspective
Aerial Perspective
Motion Parallax
Binocular Convergence
Binocular Disparity