The factorial structure of individual differences in visual perception

Although at first glance the way we perceive the world is similar for most individuals and resembles a veridical interpretation of the environment, the persistent individual differences found in many perceptual processes continue to inspire and confuse researchers. Despite numerous attempts to map out the reliable factors and correlates of individual variance in perception, the factorial structure of vision has remained elusive. The current article reviews recent developments in the study of individual differences in perception with a focus on work that has applied latent variable techniques for analysing performance across multiple visual paradigms. As this overview reveals, studies that have attempted to answer the question whether one general or several specific factors best describe vision tend to reject the monolithic view. Some general notes are also provided regarding pitfalls that should be taken into account when designing such research in the future.