Citation

Kayaert G, Wagemans J. Iperception 2010; 1(3): 149-158.

Affiliation

Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium; e-mail: greet.kayaert@kuleuven.be.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1068/i0397

PMID

23145220

PMCID

PMC3485767

Abstract

Some shape changes are more important for object perception than others. We used a habituation paradigm to measure visual sensitivity to a nonaccidental shape change-that is, the transformation of a trapezium into a triangle and vice versa-and a metric shape change-that is, changing the aspect ratio of the shapes. Our data show that an enhanced perceptual sensitivity to nonaccidental changes is already present in infancy and remains stable into toddlerhood. We have thus established an example of how early visual perception deviates from the null hypothesis of representing similarity as a function of physical overlap between shapes, and does so in agreement with more cognitive, categorical demands.

Language: en