Understanding how we understand pictures

the Marr-Jackendoff theory

René van Hezewijk

pp. 195-210

in: Stam, Leendert Mos, Warren Thorngate, Bernie Kaplan (eds), Recent trends in theoretical psychology, Berlin, Springer, 1993

Abstract

Psychological theories of perceptual and visual structure should be able to explain how persons saw and understood pictures in the past. The Marr-Jackendoff theory of visual and conceptual structure can be regarded as a candidate. From this theory restrictions on pictorization styles can be inferred. The explanatory content of the Marr-Jackendoff theory for pictorizations from different and past cultures, is demonstrated by explaining pointillistic style, western figurative style, Japanese style, Egyptian style, Chinese style and West-coast Indian styles of pictorization.