Texture gradient registration and the development of slant perception.

The processes underlying the development of slant perception were investigated by manipulating the degree of texture element variability. Subjects at four grade levels were required to make judgments of physical slant of surfaces with three levels of variability. Absolute error of judgment decreased with age, but texture variability had no effect at any grade level. The results suggest that there is no improvement in the ability to extract gradient information. Rather, improvement in the consistency of judgment reflects a developmental change in the relationship between stimulus information and judgment.