Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Near Infrared Optical Projection Tomography for Assessments of β-cell Mass Distribution in Diabetes Research
Published on: January 12, 2013
On the Ambient Optic Array: James Gibson's Insights About the Phenomenon of Chiaroscuro
1Department of Psychology, Ohio State University.
Abstract:
In 1966, James Gibson first presented his theory of the ambient optic array, and he proposed a new field of ecological optics that he hoped would advance our knowledge on this topic. This study will consider how his ideas have largely come to fruition over the past 50 years. It reviews the research on the visual perception of three-dimensional shape from shading, the effects of ambient light from surface interreflections on observers' perceptions, the perception of the light field, and the perception of surface materials. Finally, it also considers Gibson's impact on these developments.
Related Concept Videos
Vision
Light Acquisition
Focusing of Light in the Eye
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Perceptual Constancy
Size constancy is the recognition that an object remains the same size, even when its image on the retina changes. For instance, a bus is perceived to be large enough to carry people, even if it looks tiny from...

