Let us assume, then, that past 
experience with pictures is not 
necessary to perceive pictures 
as representations of objects or 
scenes. It is not mere 
convention that leads us to this 
capability but the detection of 
an intrinsic similarity between 
the picture and the object. 
Recognition therefore occurs. 
But along with recognition 
come certain aspects of 
perception that would not 
otherwise occur—–notably, 
depth perception. An example is 
the perceptual change that 
occurs in viewing a fragmented 
figure of the kind illustrated at 
left, at the moment of 
recognition. At first, the 
illustration seems to be a 
rather meaningless array of 
fragments. Suddenly, it is 
recognized as a man sitting on a 
bench, and it then looks three-
dimensional. This example 
suggests that, while prior 
experience with pictures may 
not directly govern picture 
perception, past experience 
with the objects represented 
may play an important role in 
picture perception. Thus, to us, 
as well as to the 2-year-old 
child reared without exposure 
to pictures, the picture of the 
hand or a picture of a shoe 
might be perceived differently 
from the way in which it 
appears were it not for our 
accumulated experience in 
daily life with structures of 
these kinds.