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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

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Visualizing Visual Adaptation
Published on: April 24, 2017
Note on development of perception of size
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy. scm@unipd.it
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|January 31, 2008
Summary
The perception of size develops with age, potentially linked to size isomorphism rather than just size constancy. This suggests neural changes influence how we perceive length over time.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Visual Perception
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Current understanding links size perception development to size constancy.
- Size constancy involves using distance and size cues, which mature during childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the development of perceived size using functional measurement.
- To investigate the role of size isomorphism in the development of size perception.
Main Methods:
- Functional measurement analysis of perceived size.
- Utilized data from prior studies on perceived size of frontal plane rectangles.
Main Results:
- Perceived size development may depend on size isomorphism.
- Size isomorphism, unlike size constancy, may change with age due to neural representation shifts.
Conclusions:
- Developmental changes in size perception might be better explained by size isomorphism than size constancy.
- Age-related changes in neural mechanisms for perceived length are proposed as a factor.
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