Reconstructing, recognizing, and reproducing object figures: a fixed order.

Abstract

In this study it is hypothesized that there are three distinct levels of representation and that these levels are hierarchical. The hypothesis was tested by having 100 six-year old boys and girls represent one of the most basic Bender-Gestalt figures. It was demonstrated that a representation of this figure through object reconstruction is prerequisite to recognizing the object figure from a collection of figures which in turn is prerequisite to representing the object figure using a pencil-and-paper reproduction.