Theories of Visual Perception

Explores modern thinking on visual perception, including discussion of seven major theoretical approaches such as the Gestalt Theory, Ecological Optics and Computational Theory of Vision. Shows the ways in which general theories of visual perception can differ and how these theories approach the same cluster of phenomena in dissimilar ways, explaining them by very different concepts. Key phenomena are described clearly and theoretical explanations are included as well as explicit procedural details. References are listed at the end of each chapter for further research. Extensively illustrated.

'What to include in a review of theories of visual perception is always a challenging decision... Ian Gordon makes the wise and interesting decision to discuss a few prominent theories in depth, rather than going over a lot of diverse material in, perhaps, a more superficial manner. ... The book is highly readable with delightful new insights on many seemingly familiar topics to even a seasoned vision researcher. ... Gordon has a gift for using simple analogies to elucidate abstract and complex ideas, so fresh insights await the reader on almost every page. So anyone with an interest in visual perception, even the most experienced and knowledgeable in our field, is sure to find much that is enlightening in Gordon's book. ... Never before in any text that I can remember have I read as clear and elegant an exposition of the ceaselessly exciting theories of J. J. Gibson. In his description of the concepts of invariants, Gordon's examples and descriptions even surpass those of Gibson himself! ... The book then ends with a very useful summary of what has gone before.  ... This is an excellent volume with very well written and insightful discussion of many of the theories and approaches that have dominated our field. Theories of Visual Perception is, overall, highly recommended.' - Árni Kristjánsson, University of Iceland, Rekjavik. in Perception, vol. 35 no. 7, 2006

'There is no doubt in my mind that this is an outstanding book. It is extraordinarily readable, written in plain simple English, deeply scholarly in its critical appraisals and is marked throughout by enormous knowledge and authority.' - Ross Day, La Trobe University