By Andrea Rees

VISUAL PERCEPTION PRINCIPLES

Gestalt Principles1) Closure2) Proximity3) Similarity4) Figure

VISUAL PERCEPTION PRINCIPLES OVERVIEW

Depth Principles

• Binocular1) Convergence2) Retinal Disparity

• Monocular1) Accommodation2) Pictorial Cues1) Linear perspective

2) Interposition3) Texture gradient4) Relative size5) Height in the visual

field

Are rules that we apply to visual information to assist our organisation and

interpretation of the information in consistent and meaningful ways.

VISUAL PERCEPTION PRINCIPLES

Refer to the ways in which we organise the features of a visual scene by grouping them to perceive a whole, complete form.

GESTALT PRINCIPLES

When we use figure-ground, we organise visual information by perceptually

dividing a visual scene into a ‘figure’, which stands out from the ‘ground’, which

is it’s surroundings. Figure ground organisation is generally achieved when we separate the figure

from the ground using a line or boundary between the figure and the ground, which

may or may not exist in the scene. This line of separation between the figure and

ground is known as a contour.

FIGURE-GROUND ORGANISATION.

Closure refers to the perceptual tendency to mentally ‘close up’, fill in or ignore gaps in a visual image and to perceive

object as complete (‘whole’).

CLOSURE

The principle of proximity (or nearness) is the tendency to perceive parts of a visual

images which are positioned close together as belonging together in a

group.

PROXIMITY

Depth perception is the ability to accurately estimate the distance of

objects and therefore perceive the world in three dimensions.

DEPTH PRINCIPLES

Sources of information from the environment (external cues) or from

within our body (internal cues) that help us to perceive how far away objects are

and therefore to perceive depth. Depth cues can be categorised into two groups- binocular (requiring the use of both eyes) or monocular (requiring the

use of only one eye).

DEPTH CUES

Require the use of both eyes working together in order to provide information to the brain about depth and distance.

BINOCULAR DEPTH CUES

Involves the brain detecting and interpreting depth or distance from

changes in tension in the eye muscles that occur when the two eyes turn inwards to

focus on objects that are close.

CONVERGENCE

Refers to the very slight difference (‘disparity’) in the location of the visual images on the

retina (due to their slightly different angles of views) which enables us to make judgements

about the depth or distance of an object.

RETINAL DISPARITY

Require the use of only one eye to provide information to the brain about depth and distance, but they also operate with both

eyes.They include accommodation and pictorial

cues such as linear perspective, interposition, texture gradient, relative

size and height in the visual field.

MONOCULAR DEPTH CUES

Involves the automatic adjustment of the shape of the lens to focus an object in response to

changes in how far away the object is.

ACCOMMODATION

Pictorial cues are named because artists use them to create depth and distance on two dimensional surfaces such as paper and

canvas.

PICTORIAL CUES

Is the apparent convergence of parallel lines as they recede (‘go back’) into the

distance.

LINEAR PERSPECTIVE

Or overlap as it is also called, occurs when one object partially blocks or covers another, and the partially blocked object

is perceived as further away than the object that obscures it (and vice versa).

INTERPOSITION

Refers to the gradual reduction of detail that occurs in a surface as it recedes into

the distance, compared with a surface that is close and perceived in fine detail.

TEXTURE GRADIENT

Refers to the tendency to visually perceive the object that produces the largest image

on the retina as being closer, and the object that produces the smallest image on the

retina as being further away.

RELATIVE SIZE

Refers to the location of objects in our field of vision, whereby objects that are located

closer to the horizon are perceived as being more distant than objects located further

from the horizon.

HEIGHT IN THE VISUAL FIELD

HorizonObject

that appears more distant

Thank-you for reading.

THE END.

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