Perception of Overlapping and Embedded Figures by Children of Different Ages

Abstract

The perception of overlapping realistic figures and of overlapping and embedded geometric figures was studied in 2 experiments. Ninety-nine 4- to 13-year-old children served in the first and 34 children from 4 to 8 years c age served in the second. Overlapping realistic and geometric figures are easily reported even by the youngest children. Perception of embedded figures is difficult but improves with practice. The major factor causing poor performance with the embedded figures is apparently the commonality of boundaries between the figures.