Visual angle as determinant factor for relative distance perception

RESUMEN

Visual angles are defined as the angle between line of sight up to the meanpoint of a relative distance and the relative distance itself. In one experiment,we examined the functional aspect of visual angle in relative distanceperception using two different layouts composed by 14 stakes, one of themwith its center 23 m away from the observation point, and the other 36 maway from the observation point. Verbal reports of relative distance weregrouped in 10 categories of visual angles. Results indicated visual angle as adeterminant factor for perceived relative distance as observed in the absenceof perceptual errors to distances with visual angle equal or larger than 70degrees that could be attributed to a combination of sources of visualinformation. Another finding showed a possible intrusion of non-perceptualfactors (observer’s tendencies), leading to compressed estimates to relativedistances with visual angles smaller than 70 degrees