CONTOUR DESCRIPTOR PROPERTIES OF VISUAL SHAPE.

Abstract

The results of a one year program to elucidate the problems underlying shape perception are presented. Following a review of the field, extensive studies of spontaneous fixation tendencies in visual forms are reported. These studies indicate that visual shape is a stimulus to fixation, suggesting that the peripheral inputs, per se, are not the primary determiners of spontaneous fixation tendencies, but that the already organized cortical representation of shape is such a factor. Experiments will flow patterns in visual noise suggest that the visual system does behave as if it has field or global properties. Finally, studies of illusions indicate that a second class of visual illusions can be designated on the basis of dependency on converging lines or line segments as the inducing feature. Illusions in this inclination-dependent class are all such that if the illusion inducing lines are rotated so they are parallel or normal to the test lines the illusion is eliminated. This classification permits a number of apparently different illusions, including the Hering, Zollner, and Ponzo illusions, to be considered related. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0662005

Entities

People

  • C. B. Pitblado
  • J. Hochberg
  • L. Kaufman
  • W. Richards

Organizations

  • Sperry Corporation

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Behavior And Behavior Mechanisms
  • Classification
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Memory Devices
  • Mental Processes
  • Nervous System Diseases
  • Neurobehavioral Manifestations
  • Neurologic Manifestations
  • Perception

Readers

  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.