Perceiving the orientation-in-depth of triangular surfaces: Static-monocular, moving-monocular, and static-binocular viewing

Although data from simulations suggest that motion information and binocular information each elicit veridical depth perception, data from real stimuli, such as trapezoidal surfaces, are equivocal; the discrepancy might be explained by the complexity of nonveridical pictorial information in the latter. In the present study, observers judged the orientations-in-depth of triangular surfaces about a vertical axis: Pictorial information resided only in the visual lengths of surfaces, so it was predicted that motion and binocularity would be fully effective. Viewing conditions were static-monocular (SM), moving-monocular (MM), and static-binocular (SE). SM judgments were largely frontal, reflecting the equidistance tendency that applies in impoverished conditions. SE judgments were broadly veridical, as predicted. However, MM judgments were only partly influenced by motion information; the equidistance tendency and visual length also contributed-the latter in contrast to SM. It is concluded that motion information is only weakly effective, no matter what the complexity of pictorial information. Instead, motion may be valuable in enhancing pictorial information.