Abstract:

This paper is a call for greater use of individual differences in the basic science of visual perception. Individual differences yield insights into visual perception's functional organization, underlying biological/environmental mechanisms, and utility. I first explain the general approach advocated and where it comes from. Second, I describe five principles central to learning about the nature of visual perception through individual differences. Third, I elaborate on the use of individual differences to gain insights into the three areas mentioned above (function, biology/environment, utility), in each case describing the approach advocated, presenting model examples from the literature, and laying out illustrative research proposals for the case of stereopsis.

Keywords: PSYCHOPHYSICS; VISUAL PERCEPTION; VISION; TWIN; FACTOR ANALYSIS; UTILITY; LATENT VARIABLE

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1163/156856808786451408

Affiliations: 1: SUNY State College of Optometry, Vision Sciences, 33 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, USA; Psychology Department, University of Pennsylvania, USA