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Visual Crowding
Lisa Schwetlick1,2, Michael H Herzog1
1Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland;
Annual Review of Vision Science
|August 8, 2025
Summary
Visual crowding, where surrounding elements impair object perception, is complex. New research shows it involves high-level processes and overall visual organization, not just proximity.
Area of Science:
- Visual perception
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- Crowding is a common visual phenomenon where surrounding objects impede target perception.
- Traditionally, crowding was confined to narrow spatial and temporal limits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent insights into the factors influencing visual crowding.
- To explore the role of low- and high-level visual processing in crowding.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on visual crowding.
- Analysis of factors like element proximity, grouping, and timing.
Main Results:
- Crowding extends beyond simple proximity, involving perceptual grouping and complex visual arrangements.
- Both feedforward and feedback neural processes contribute to crowding effects.
Conclusions:
- Visual crowding is a dynamic and complex phenomenon influenced by overall visual organization.
- A more integrated approach is needed to understand crowding and its implications for vision science.
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