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.

DEPTH CUES

Depth cues are visual or perceptual cues that provide information about the distance and three-
dimensional layout of objects in our environment.

Depth cues can be classified into two main categories – Monocular and Binocular Depth Cues

Monocular depth cues can be represented in just two dimensions and observed with just one eye.

 Linear Perspective: Parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance, giving a
sense of depth.

Key features of linear perspective include:

 Vanishing Point: The point on the horizon where parallel lines appear to converge.
 Horizon Line: The horizontal line where the sky meets the ground or other surfaces in the
distance.
 Orthogonal Lines: Imaginary lines drawn from objects to the vanishing point.
 Texture Gradient: Objects with fine detail appear closer, while those with less detail appear
farther away.

 Interposition: When one object partially blocks another, we perceive the blocking object as
closer and the blocked object as farther away.

 Relative Size: Objects that appear larger on our retina are perceived as closer, while smaller
objects are perceived as farther away, assuming we know their actual size.
  Aerial Perspective: Distant objects appear hazier, bluer, and less distinct due to atmospheric
effects like air particles and humidity

 Motion Parallax: As we move, nearby objects appear to move faster than distant objects,
providing cues about their relative distances.

Binocular depth cues are based on the receipt of sensory information in three dimensions from both
eyes.

 Binocular Disparity: Each eye sees a slightly different image of the world due to their slightly
different viewpoints. The brain uses this difference to perceive depth.
  Convergence: When an object is close, our eyes converge (turn inward). The brain interprets the
degree of convergence as a cue for depth.

DEFICITS IN PERCEPTION

Difficulties Perceiving the “What”

Agnosia is a neurological condition characterized by the inability to recognize or interpret sensory

information despite intact sensory pathways. Agnosias often are caused by damage to the border of the
temporal and occipital lobes.

Apperceptive visual agnosia: In this type, individuals have difficulty perceiving and recognizing shapes,
objects, or visual patterns. This type of agnosia often results from damage to the occipital and parietal
lobes of the brain.

Associative visual agnosia: Unlike apperceptive visual agnosia, individuals with associative visual
agnosia can perceive basic visual stimuli but struggle to identify or recognize them. Associative visual
agnosia is typically associated with damage to the temporal lobes, particularly the ventral stream, which
is involved in object recognition and semantic memory.

Prosopagnosia: Also known as face blindness, prosopagnosia is a specific type of associative visual
agnosia characterized by the inability to recognize faces, including those of familiar individuals such as
family members or friends. Prosopagnosia is often associated with damage to the fusiform gyrus in the
temporal lobe, which is involved in face perception.

Simultanagnosia: This type of visual agnosia involves difficulty perceiving multiple objects or parts of a
visual scene simultaneously. Simultanagnosia is commonly associated with damage to the parietal lobes
and can occur in conjunction with other visual processing deficits.

Difficulties in Knowing the “How”

Optic Ataxia is an impaired ability to use the visual system to guide movement. People with this deficit
have trouble reaching for things. It results from a processing failure in the posterior parietal cortex,
where sensorimotor information is processed.