Visual Perception Principles - Gestalt & Depth Cues, Visual Constancies

Session 17 - Gestalt Principles & Depth Cues


Run through the homework:

• Visual Perception Processes Jigsaw Activity (place on W/B)
• Gestalt Principles - Grouping & Separating Observation Table (place on W/B)

Discuss the above in detail ensuring that all students understand the concepts.

Students are to place the following in their workbooks:

Depth Cues

Depth cues are the ability to see three dimensional space (height, length and width) and to accurately judge distances. Depth cues are sources of information from the environment (pictorial cues) or within the body (biological cues) that help perceive the distance between us & the object. Some depth cues require information sent from two eyes (binocular) or one eye (monocular).

Imagine life without depth cues / perception...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvzk8cWnHz8&feature=BF&playnext=1&list=QL&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08qH0ouKx_Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr6gQ2VBD60

Read through pages 86 - 89 of the textbook and provide definitions for the following terms:

• Retinal Disparity
• Convergence
• Accommodation

The following descriptions need to be accompanied by the associated diagrams.

• Linear Perspective
• Relative Size
• Interposition
• Texture Gradient
• Height in the Visual Field

Complete 'Check Your Understanding 3.6' in workbooks.


Session 18 - Visual Constancies, Perceptual Set & SAC Prep


Open up with Random Pop Quiz!


Run through answers and discuss key concepts and terms.


Move onto Visual Constancies - students to copy the following in their workbook:

The tendency to perceive a visual stimulus as remaining stable & unchanging despite any changes that occur to the image cast on the retina. They include: Size, Shape, Brightness & Orientation.

Size Constancy

Recognising that an object’s size remains the same despite the image on the retina changing as the object gets closer/further away.

Shape Constancy

The tendency to perceive objects as maintaining their shape despite changes in the shape of the image formed on the retina.

Brightness Constancy

The tendency to perceive an object as maintaining its level of brightness relative to its surroundings, despite changes in the amount of light being reflected from the object onto the retina.



Orientation Constancy
Whereby we perceive an object's true orientation (position) as being unchanged despite changes in  the orientation of the object's image on our retina.

Read through 91 -93 and complete CHeck Your Understanding 3.7 in your workbooks.


H/W: Read through 93 -98 (Perceptual Set) and provide your won definition for the following terms:

• Past Experience
• Context
• Motivation / Emotional State
• Culture
• Suggestion / Instruction

YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW WHAT THESE TERMS ARE BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT AND TAKE PHOTOS FOR YOUR SAC ON MONDAY!