Brightness Constancy

Brightness constancy is whenever we perceive an object as having constant lightness while the illumination varies.

As a real example on the left, we see that there are two gray squares inside of a black and a lighter gray square. The two squares appear to be different shades of gray, but are really the same shade. Brightness constancy helps us to see that despite the different reflections the outer square gives on the inner square, the inner squares are still the same shade.

Shape Constancy

Shape constancy gives us the ability to recognize familiar objects as a constant shape despite a different retinal image seen.

A real life example is seen to the right at the computer. The computer is seen as different shapes and angles in each picture in the immediate retinal image. However, due to shape constancy you still recognize it as a computer from each  image.

Size Constancy

Size constancy is the idea that while our distance from an object may vary, we perceive that object as having a constant size.

A real life example is whenever you are looking at a ball on a soccer field. If you are far away from the ball on the field, it may appear smaller. However, since you know the actual of the ball up close, you know that the ball has not shrunken as it moves farther away, but it is just the perception of the ball due to distance that causes to appear smaller.

In the example to the left, there are two identical goblets. The one further down the table appears smaller, but we know that it is not because size constancy lets us know it is the same size no matter the distance we perceive it from.

Motion Perception

Motion Perception- Motion Perception is the process of inferring direction and velocity of objects based on visual characteristics.

A real life example of this is found in paintings where the human eye will infer the direction of still objects in artwork, such as the example given below.

Binocular Cue

Convergence- Convergence is when muscles in your face turn your eyes slightly inward toward the nose in order to get a better view of the nearby object.

A real life example is when reading a book, our eyes will converge or turn slightly, which will help us get a better look of the object. 

Monocular Cue

Relative Size- Relative size is how humans are able to see things that are similar in size and shape, and identify the smaller image as the object farther away.

                              

  A real life example of relative size is when you look down a hallway and the people down the hallway look smaller than they actually are.          

    

Relative Clarity- Relative clarity is when humans perceive farther away objects as hazy or not detailed, and perceive closer objects as fine and detailed.

A real life example is when you look across a room and objects far way look hazy, while objects up close apprear fine and detailed. This is of course due to the objects distance from your point of view. Pencil is detailed while hallway outside of room is hazy. 

             

 

Figure-ground perception

Description- The law of figure-ground perception states in organizing stimuli we tend to automatically distinguish a figure from its background.
 http://psychology.about.com/od/findex/g/figure-ground-perception.htm

For example in this picture, depending on what we choose to use as the background, we either see a vase or two man's faces.

Below is a real life example because if we choose to use the sky as the background we see buildings in the foreground, but if we choose to use the buildings as the background we see letters in the sky in the foreground.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure%E2%80%93ground_%28perception%29