Pictorial perception: individual and group differences within the human species

This paper examines empirical evidence pertaining to perception of pictures by human beings. It is particularly concerned with the evidence that withi n the species differences are found between culturally disparate groups; an d within such groups between subgroups differing in age and between men and women. It is stressed that whether a stimulus can be regarded as a picture depends on both the nature of the stimulus and the nature of the observer; in addition the task which a subject is requested to perform is a crucial determinant in any assessment of pictorial perception. In consequence stimu li which are seen as pictures by some observers may appear to other observe rs as mere meaningless lines and blotches or may evoke responses which woul d be appropriate if the stimulus were the depicted object or scene but not a picture; an infinity of intermediate responses is also available. Two cha racteristics of pictures, their ability to evoke perception of depth where none is present (eidolicity) and their ability to represent objects (epitom y) are described and their relationship to the skill of pictorial perceptio n is briefly discussed.