Attributes of visual perception

Attributes of visual perception consist of inherent abilities and skills developed over time that facilitate our understanding of visual information.

Attributes of visual perception associated with the response of the human eye and brain to light include:

  • Brightness discrimination: The capacity to discern variations in illumination within a visual scene.
  • Colour constancy is the ability to perceive colours as relatively constant, even under changing lighting conditions.
  • Colour perception: The capability to discern differences in colour in the presence of light, which includes all shades of grey between black and white.
  • Depth perception: The ability to estimate the distance between oneself and objects, and also the distance between separate objects.
  • Figure-ground perception: The ability to distinguish significant details from a complex background.
  • Form constancy: The capability to identify a shape as constant, even when it changes in size or orientation.
  • Rapid visual processing: The capacity for swiftly and accurately identifying visual details in rapidly changing objects and surroundings.
  • Sensory processing: The accurate detection, interpretation, and response to visual information, integrated with other sensory experiences.
  • Spatial relationships: The capacity to comprehend the relative positioning of objects, including their distance, direction of movement, and location with respect to the observer.
  • Visual attention: The skill to concentrate on relevant visual information while disregarding insignificant background details.
  • Visual closure: The capacity to identify a shape or object even when part of it is obscured or absent.
  • Visual discrimination: The capability to perceive differences or similarities in objects, based on attributes such as size, colour, shape, and so on.
  • Visual memory: The capacity to recall the appearance of a shape or object.
  • Visual-motor integration: The ability to coordinate vision and hand movement to perform tasks such as catching a ball or writing.
  • Visual sequential memory: The capacity to recall the sequence of items or events.
  • Visual tracking: The ability to efficiently move one’s gaze from one object to another.
Related diagrams

Each diagram below can be viewed on its own page with a full explanation.

  • Attributes of visual perception consist of inherent abilities and skills developed over time that facilitate our understanding of visual information.
  • Attributes of visual perception associated with the response of the human eye and brain to light include:
    • Brightness discrimination: The capacity to discern variations in illumination within a visual scene.
    • Colour constancy is the ability to perceive colours as relatively constant, even under changing lighting conditions.
    • Colour perception: The capability to discern differences in colour in the presence of light, which includes all shades of grey between black and white.
    • Depth perception: The ability to estimate the distance between oneself and objects, and also the distance between separate objects.
    • See the definition for a full list of attributes.