The theme for this project is the link between mental condition of a protagonist and space depiction in cinema, based on Polanski's Repulsion.
While researching the connection between space perception and psychology I came across several interesting points. While not all of them relate to the project topic directly, I find them worth mentioning as they enrich my understanding of how we look at and see objects. Also, while some of the information appears obvious at its core, making it explicit forces us to realize the mechanisms of how we respond to some visual data.
1. What is perception then? The most brief and to-the-point definition I have found states that it is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information. This is a very broad definition, however it addresses the matter immediately. It is not restricted to vision specifically but addresses the main specifics of perception in general, whether visual, auditory etc. Since one gains understanding of a piece of information at hand, it will be a personal comprehension of such. Therefore this definition not only points what perception is but also describes it's qualities. It also suggests that all personal (if different) responses are theoretically correct.
2. We perceive the whole of a physical structure when only parts of it are actually seen. This is called amodal perception. This is part of our everyday experience that we take for granted but having read it made me realize how little attention we pay to this phenomenon. If we see someone behind metal bars we perceive them as a whole object rather that parts that are actually visible through the fence. It comes so naturally that we barely realize it unless we try to draw it.
3. Objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard or touched. This is the rule of object permanence. Again, while we assume it as obvious, how many time have we forgotten about an issue at hand as soon as we did not see it/listen to it? The old saying out of sight out of mind seems to reflect it perfectly.
4. Another interesting concept related to space perception is holism, stating that the properties of a system cannot be explained or defined by its parts alone. This derives from classical philosophy with Aristotle's Metaphysics statement: The whole is different from the sum of its parts. While it partly relates to amodal perception, it also suggests that spaces (in this context) are not defined merely by the lines and contours. The perception is of space is affected by additional factors such as ambience and these add to all the elements alone, frequently changing the whole perception of the given space.
All of the above information have been sourced from Wikipedia, with own comments and reflections.