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Visual Constancy
(http://psychapprentice.weebly.com/psychologylexicon/visual-constancy)
2/15/2013
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Visualconstancy:n.theabilitytorecognizeobjectsevenastheirsize,shape,color,or
orientationchange

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Visual constancy is one of many forms of perceptual constancy. It helps us make sense of what we
see in the world around us.
Visual constancy is our ability to perceive that an object remains the same, even when the object
projects different images onto our retinas in our eyes. There are different types of visual constancy,
for example shape, color, size, brightness and location constancy. The illustration above
demonstrates color constancy; despite the varying shades of orange, yellow and green that we see in
each picture, we perceive the bowls of fruit to be the equal. This is because our brain interprets color
relative to other objects.

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Shape constancy - despite viewing the door at different angles, we know that the door remains rectangular.

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An optical illusion involving size constancy. If the person in the foreground weren't interacting with the person

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in green, we would have an easier time perceiving the person in green as normal-sized (rather than fun-sized!).

Similarly, size constancy is the ability to perceive objects as the same size although the images
projected to us differ in size. Size constancy allows us to understand that a person walking into the
distance stays the same height, and doesn't "shrink" within our view frame.
References:
Kalat, J. W. (2011). Introduction to Psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Publishing.
Pediatric Division Development Center of Gwinnett. (2013). Visual Perceptual Processing.
Retrieved February 15, 2013, from:http://www.visiontherapy4kids.com/ContentPage.aspx?
id=52.
SparkNotes LLC. (2013). Sensation and Perception: Vision. Retrieved February 15, 2013, from
SparkNotes's
website:http://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/sensation/section2.rhtml.
Photo Credits:
http://www.psypress.co.uk/mather/resources/jpg/Image12_1.jpg
http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/morris4/chapter3/medialib/summary/SMO130FA.GIF
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4831420198_0312c079b2.jpg
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