Binocular disparity in periphery and the perception of absolute distance

Abstract

We investigated how differential perspective and binocular parallax in the peripheral visual field affects the perceived distance of the stimulus in the central visual field. Subjects responded the perceived distance of a circular test target in the center presented with a random-dot stimulus in the periphery, using the method of angle adjustment. The binocular parallax of the test stimulus target was fixed, and the binocular parallax and the differential perspective of the surround stimulus were manipulated. The results showed that the perceived distance of the test increased as the predicted distance from the binocular parallax of the surround stimulus decreased. The results also showed that the test distance increased as the predicted distance from the differential perspective of the surround stimulus increased even when the center and surround stimuli were separated in depth and that the effect of the differential perspective was mainly due to its horizontal disparity component.