Visual Development and Object Recognition

In recent years, computer algorithms have started catching up to human observers’ skill at recognizing objects, which is to say, correctly categorizing parts of an image according to uses or identities. But object definitions are not clear cut; they tend to be rather operational (defined by the utility of the situation). This chapter discusses the development of the visual system—what is the normal trajectory for developing visual skills—and the types of experiments that visual scientists have done to try to define objects and characterize object recognition skills.

This chapter was created by: Jaclyn Bowen, Tessa Rossini, Hannaan Shire, John Taylor, Hannah Thormodsgaard, Ashlynne VanHorn, Jamie Wahout, Ariyanna Watts, and Elton Wong.