Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective

Abstract How viewers interpret different pictorial projections has been a longstanding question affecting many disciplines, including psychology, art, computer science, and vision science. The most-prominent theories assume that viewers interpret pictures according to a single linear perspective pro...

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Main Authors: Daniel Martin, Diego Gutierrez, Belen Masia, Stephen DiVerdi, Aaron Hertzmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99675-5
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author Daniel Martin
Diego Gutierrez
Belen Masia
Stephen DiVerdi
Aaron Hertzmann
author_facet Daniel Martin
Diego Gutierrez
Belen Masia
Stephen DiVerdi
Aaron Hertzmann
author_sort Daniel Martin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract How viewers interpret different pictorial projections has been a longstanding question affecting many disciplines, including psychology, art, computer science, and vision science. The most-prominent theories assume that viewers interpret pictures according to a single linear perspective projection. Yet, no existing theory accurately describes viewers’ perceptions across the wide variety of projections used throughout art history. Recently, Hertzmann hypothesized that pictorial 3D shape perception is interpreted according to a separate linear perspective for each eye fixation in a picture. We performed four experiments based on this hypothesis. The first two experiments found that viewers consider object depictions as more accurate when an object is projected according to its own local linear projection, rather than one consistent with the rest of the picture. In the third experiment, viewers exhibited change blindness to projections in peripheral vision, suggesting that perception of shape primarily occurs around fixations. The fourth experiment found surface slant compensation to be dependent on fixation. We conclude that pictorial shape perception operates according to per-fixation perspective.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-ca68db6e1a6e4c8f8706d3d299df48e92025-08-20T03:52:19ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-99675-5Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspectiveDaniel Martin0Diego Gutierrez1Belen Masia2Stephen DiVerdi3Aaron Hertzmann4Universidad de Zaragoza, I3AUniversidad de Zaragoza, I3AUniversidad de Zaragoza, I3AAdobe ResearchAdobe ResearchAbstract How viewers interpret different pictorial projections has been a longstanding question affecting many disciplines, including psychology, art, computer science, and vision science. The most-prominent theories assume that viewers interpret pictures according to a single linear perspective projection. Yet, no existing theory accurately describes viewers’ perceptions across the wide variety of projections used throughout art history. Recently, Hertzmann hypothesized that pictorial 3D shape perception is interpreted according to a separate linear perspective for each eye fixation in a picture. We performed four experiments based on this hypothesis. The first two experiments found that viewers consider object depictions as more accurate when an object is projected according to its own local linear projection, rather than one consistent with the rest of the picture. In the third experiment, viewers exhibited change blindness to projections in peripheral vision, suggesting that perception of shape primarily occurs around fixations. The fourth experiment found surface slant compensation to be dependent on fixation. We conclude that pictorial shape perception operates according to per-fixation perspective.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99675-5
spellingShingle Daniel Martin
Diego Gutierrez
Belen Masia
Stephen DiVerdi
Aaron Hertzmann
Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
Scientific Reports
title Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
title_full Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
title_fullStr Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
title_full_unstemmed Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
title_short Viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per-fixation perspective
title_sort viewers perceive shape in pictures according to per fixation perspective
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99675-5
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