On the Visual Cues Contributing to Pictorial Depth Perception

Abstract

From study of the depth inversion in the “reverse perspective” illusion, we found that the depiction of at least three objects consistent with linear perspective is essential for inducing the false motion effects. In experiments on the perception of 3D depth in 2D images, we have confirmed that the presence of three independent pictorial cues is crucial for the illusion of depth, in general. On the basis of these findings, we argue that the characteristically human ability to perceive depth in flat visual stimuli using pictorial cues is an example of “triadic cognition”—i.e., cognition that relies on the perception of the relationships among a minimum of three distinct cues. Findings are discussed in terms of how pictorial cues influence our perception of 3D depth in 2D paintings and drawings.