<P> The visual cliff apparatus was created by psychologists Eleanor J. Gibson and Richard D. Walk at Cornell University to investigate depth perception in human and animal species . This apparatus allowed them to experimentally adjust the optical and tactical stimuli associated with a simulated cliff while protecting the subjects from injury . The visual cliff consists of a sheet of Plexiglas that covers a cloth with a high - contrast checkerboard pattern . On one side the cloth is placed immediately beneath the Plexiglas , and on the other , it is dropped about 4 feet below . Since the Plexiglas supports the weight of the infant this is a visual cliff rather than a drop off . Using a visual cliff apparatus , Gibson and Walk examined possible perceptual differences at crawling age between human infants born preterm and human infants born at term without documented visual or motor impairments . </P>
<P> The visual cliff apparatus was created by psychologists Eleanor J. Gibson and Richard D. Walk at Cornell University to investigate depth perception in human and animal species . This apparatus allowed them to experimentally adjust the optical and tactical stimuli associated with a simulated cliff while protecting the subjects from injury . The visual cliff consists of a sheet of Plexiglas that covers a cloth with a high - contrast checkerboard pattern . On one side the cloth is placed immediately beneath the Plexiglas , and on the other , it is dropped about 4 feet below . Since the Plexiglas supports the weight of the infant this is a visual cliff rather than a drop off . Using a visual cliff apparatus , Gibson and Walk examined possible perceptual differences at crawling age between human infants born preterm and human infants born at term without documented visual or motor impairments . </P>
researchers place infants on a visual cliff to learn more about
researchers place infants on a visual cliff to learn more about
depth perception
depth perception