The Importance of Size Constancy Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Means that the perception of an object is not so much a process of perception but rather it is a cognitive process that depends on the memory of past experience. Haber and Levin (2001) set up an experiment to test how big a role memory plays in the perception of size. They realized that familiarity with an object was a key factor in its perception and so they devised categories for measuring this, including prototypic size which applies to all similar versions of an object. Assessing participants estimation of objects which were in view, and those which were not, data can be gathered that sheds light on the difference between seeing an object, and just thinking about it from memory. College students are able to estimate the size of common objects quite easily and accurately even when the objects are not visible. When they view objects which are unfamiliar to them, accuracy falls, suggesting that people rely more on the memory of an object they are already familiar with, or of simila r objects they have encountered in the past, than on perception of an actual object in the present. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Size Constancy or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page