(10) Size Constancy

Size constancy is the tendency of our minds to perceive the size of a familiar object despite differences in their distance. The size of the image on the retina changes as the distance from the object to the observer changes,

If you observe the following image, you will see how the same man is shown twice (in the very back and towards the front on the right.)The smaller man in the front the same exact size as the man towards the back, he's now just shown at the same elevation as the man in the foreground. However, our visual system will perceive this image as it's meant to be and infer that the man towards the back is farther away, thus making him smaller in the photograph.

(7) Monocular Cue: Interposition

Interposition is the when an object partially blocks our view of another, causing us to perceive it to be closer to us.

The image displayed above shows two completely different shapes of different color. Because the blue oval is show to be overlapping the rectangle, our minds immediately assume that it is also closer to us. This is due to us registering the fact that we see the full shape of it rather than the rectangle.

(4) Proximity

Proximity is when the mind groups nearby figures together. We see things as one whole instead of separate things.

The above photo in reality is just a bunch of shaded dots. However, the law of proximity indicates that it is far more likely for us to identify this photo as four distinct shapes that end up forming a whole image which we would interpret as the paw of an animal. The reason we group these four shapes together is due to their similarity in shape, color, placement, etc.

(1) Closure

Closure is the tendency for the brain
to fill in gaps to create a complete, full object.

For example, the image at right contains no actual complete circles or triangles. However, the mind fills in the missing information to create familiar shapes and images. This causes us to perceive the following image as large, white triangle.

(12) Shape Constancy

Shape constancy is the tendency to perceive the shape of a rigid object as constant despite differences in the viewing angle. This means that when we see a door open, we see it as a rectangle in it's beginning stages of being closed. Then as it starts to move, the door actually appears to be trapezoidal, but our brain still tells us that it is rectangular.

This is a similar example to the door, but it is going to use a laptop. When it starts open, we perceive the screen to be rectangular, then as it gets to about a 45 degree angle, the screen appears to be trapezoidal because of the differing angles of the screen, but our brains still tell us that it is rectangular.

As one can see, the first picture is much more noticeably a rectangle compared to the second picture. Because of depth perception, the rectangle in the second picture is more resembled to a trapezoid, but our brains take shortcuts and just tell us that it is a rectangle from start to finish. 

(9) Motion Perception

Motion perception deals with anything that would cause our eyes to see motion. There are two different kinds:

Stroboscopic movement – the brain perceives continuous movement in a rapid series of slightly varying images 

Phi phenomenon – an illusion of movement created when two adjacent stationary lights blink on and off in quick succession, and we perceive a single light moving back and forth between them

In this example, we have stroboscopic motion captured in a picture. This picturing technique is called "blur" and it captures what we would see if we viewed the world in slow motion. Because of the stroboscopic movement in our eyes, we would actually see this segment of pictures as the ones below (which are still a little bit blurry, but it's better than nothing).

If this was in real life, we would perceive this as the kid in the white shirt is moving from the left to the right in a continuous motion.

(6) Binocular Cue

Binocular cues are depth cues, such as retinal disparity and convergence that depends on the use of two eyes.

                         Left Eye Only                            Both Eyes                            Right Eye Only

In this example, we see what our different perceptions would be if we only saw things with our right or our left eye. Then to give reference, there is a picture of what the plant object thing would be if we looked at it straight on with both eyes. The left vs. right eye pictures are a little bit more dramatic than what we would actually see, but it is close enough for a good visual representation.

(3) Similarity

Similarity is when items that are similar tend to be grouped together. This occurs with both visual and auditory stimuli.

This is a picture of similar objects that have similar colors going horizontally. Our brains associate the similar colors together compared to the different colors going vertically. 

11) Perceptual Constancies- Brightness Constancy

Brightness Constancy- the tendency to perceive an object as changing its level of brightness in relation to its surroundings. When you stand outside in the sun, you look brighter than when you are inside in the shadows, even though we are still the same color as we were outside. This can be seen in this example.

This is a picture on my sister inside. Her hair is darker.

This is a picture of her outside. Her hair is the same color in both pictures, but because of the difference in lighting, they look a little different.

8) Monocular Cues: Linear perspective

Monocular Cues- We depend on this for long distances.
Linear perspective- made by the convergence of lines into the horizon. When we look at a road or a train tracks, we know that they are straight lines, but when we look out into the horizon, they seem to come to a point. This is called linear perspective.

5) Figure-Ground Perception

Figure-Ground: a grouping where a person identifies a figure from a background. We need to be able to perceive any object distinctively from its surroundings.
This picture is an advertisement for helping kids in Africa. They used figure-ground perception in their design because they used a woman and a child to create the outline of Africa. Our brains perceive the people from the background, but we also see the outline of the continent if we look closer.

2) Continuity

Continuity- People categorize stimuli into smooth, uninterrupted forms, rather than discontinuous patterns. This means that instead of seeing individual boxes or individual lines, we see one continuous pattern or one big line.

This picture is of a staircase.  People do not see this as individual boxes or lines, but as one big thing. Their brains connect it all together to make the staircase.