Global Stereopsis in Rhesus Monkeys

Abstract

In three separate experiments an attempt was made to demonstrate global stereopsis in two rhesus monkeys by using random dot stereograms projected and viewed through polarizing filters. Although both animals learned a number of discriminations, control tests showed that both were perceiving non-depth cues such as monocular identification of minute pattern differences or brightness differences caused by reflections of polarized light. In a final experiment red/green anaglyph forms of the stereograms were viewed through red/green filters. Both monkeys, together with a third experimentally naive animal, showed incontrovertible evidence of prompt discrimination based on stereopsis. This paper makes a number of recommendations about the use of random dot stereograms to demonstrate global stereopsis in animals.