Perceptual Consistancies Essay

362 Words2 Pages
Perceptual consistencies are important in allowing us to experience continuity. They are responsible for allowing us to perceive objects in a consistent manner, despite the fact that the angles and distance from which we see theses objects is constantly changing. Without perceptual consistencies, our world would be a very confusing place, and it would be hard for us to adapt to our environment. Scientifically put, visual constancy allows us to focus on the permanent features of objects, rather than the changing retinal images. For example, we are able to identify our friends and family members by their permanent features and markings. Imagine what would happen if we could not identify them because they wore different clothes each time we saw them. There are different kinds of perceptual consistencies. There are color consistencies, and also size and shape consistencies. Although most people don’t notice, the way the environment is illuminated determines what color you perceive. Color constancy is basically the ability to see familiar objects in the same color regardless of the illumination. Shape constancy is this same, only with shape. It allows us to perceive familiar objects as having a permanent shape, even though we look at these objects from many different angles. For example, we still see a door as a square object, regardless of the angle in which we view it. Next, and just as important, is size constancy. Generally, we see an object as remaining the same size, even though the image it actually casts on the retina may vary. For example, as the distance of an object becomes farther away from us, the image it casts on the retina becomes smaller. We still tend to perceive that object as being the same size, just being farther away. When these consistencies fail, it is called a perceptual illusion. This most common, and the most studied of these illusions

More about Perceptual Consistancies Essay

Open Document