Depth Perception Produced by Shaped Stimuli with Motion Parallax Interactions between Motion Parallax and Relative Size

Abstract

Three experiments were perfomed to measure perceived orders and magnitudes of the depth produced by motion parallax. Three open circles, being arranged vertically and moved in yoking to head movement, were presented to the observers. The top and bottom circles always moved together while the middle one moved in the opposite direction with equal velocity in Experiment 1, and all the three circles moved in the same direction while the middle one moved with different velocities in Experiment 2. The results of both Experiment 1 and Expeiment 2 show that the perceived depth order coincides with the order predicted from the geometry of motion parallax and that the magnitude of the perceived depth is underestimated than that predicted from the geometry. In Experiment 3, the interactions between depth cues of motion parallax and of relative size were examined in two conditions: (a) the consistent condition where the two cues specified the same depth orders and (b) the contradictory condition where the two cues specified opposite depth orders. The results show that motion parallax determins the perceived depth order dominantly.