Gibson's direct theory of perception

• Gibson stated that sensation and perception are the same thing
• • Optic flow
  • Motion parallax
  • Influence of nature
• Optic flow


  • When we are moving towards a fixed point, it stays stationary while the rest of our view seems to rush by.
  • Our brain uses this to recognise that we are moving
• Motion parallax


  • When we are moving, objects closer to us appear to move faster than objects further away.
• Influence of nature (Nature vs Nurture)


  • We don't need to learn how to perceive the world as our perception is innate.
  • Baby wouldn't crawl off the edge of a cliff (Visual cliff experiment)
• Evaluation point 1

  • Strength- Research provides good support
  • Visual cliff experiment shows that we don't need to learn how to perceive the world as our perception is innate.
  • Evidence supports Gibson's ideas.
• Evaluation point 2

  • Weakness- Perceptual errors are not explained.
  • Visual illusions are an example of perceptual errors
  • Illusions show sensation and perception to be very different processes.
  • Gibson cannot explain this.