A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What was the aim of Gibson and Walk's research?

1. To find out if depth perception can be learned

2. To support the idea that depth perception is learned through experience

3. To support the idea that depth perception is innate in humans and other species

4. To investigate the effects of color on depth perception

The correct answer is: To support the idea that depth perception is innate in humans and other species

Gibson and Walk's research aimed to investigate the concept of depth perception, specifically tackling whether it is something that develops through experience or is an innate capability. Their landmark study utilized the visual cliff apparatus to assess whether infants and animals would show a preference for avoiding the perceived depth. The results indicated that both human infants and various animal species exhibited a clear avoidance of the 'drop-off,' suggesting that an understanding of depth perception is present from an early age. This supports the conclusion that depth perception is innate, rather than learned through experience. This research significantly contributed to the understanding of perception in psychological studies, illuminating the biological foundations of how organisms navigate their environments and react to visual cues, reinforcing the idea that depth perception is an inherent skill rather than a learned one.