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Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 2, 2025

A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking

A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking

Published on: July 9, 2016

Allocentric spatial perception through vision and touch in sighted and blind children.

Chiara Martolini¹, Giulia Cappagli¹, Elena Saligari²

¹Unit for Visually Impaired People, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16152 Genoa, Italy.

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

|June 7, 2021

Summary

Visual deprivation impacts spatial reference frame development in children. Blindness affects egocentric cue reliance and hinders shifting between egocentric and allocentric perspectives, especially in haptic tasks.

Keywords:

Allocentric reference frame Blindness Development Egocentric reference frame Haptic spatial representation Visual spatial representation

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Neuroscience
Spatial Cognition

Background:

Vision and touch are crucial for developing spatial reference frames (allocentric and egocentric).
Prior research suggests visual deprivation may hinder allocentric frame development.
The impact of visual impairment on shifting between egocentric and allocentric frames needs further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how visual deprivation affects the ability to switch between egocentric and allocentric frames of reference.
To compare these effects in visual and haptic domains.
To examine spatial coding in children with and without visual impairments.

Main Methods:

A switching-perspective task was administered to children aged 6-13 with and without visual impairments.
Participants explored and reproduced spatial configurations haptically (blindfolded sighted and blind children) or visually (sighted children).
Egocentric and allocentric perspectives were assessed in both visual and haptic modalities.

Main Results:

Temporary visual deprivation impaired the egocentric-to-allocentric shift more in the haptic than visual domain.
Blindness did not impair haptic allocentric spatial coding but affected reliance on haptic egocentric cues.
Complete vision absence may hinder egocentric perspective development for targets crossing the body midline.

Conclusions:

Visual experience is vital for developing flexible spatial reference frame shifting, particularly in the haptic modality.
Blindness impacts the use of egocentric cues in spatial tasks, suggesting altered developmental trajectories.
Understanding these effects is crucial for interventions supporting spatial development in visually impaired children.