The following is a summary of “Underestimation of the number of hidden objects,” published in the February 2023 issue of Ophthalmology by Men, et al.

Inferences about what is hidden from sight were included in the perceptual picture of the surroundings and what people can see. For example, in amodal completion, straightforward surfaces or contours are filled in behind obstructing objects to enable a full depiction. This is crucial for various daily activities, like visual search, foraging, and item handling. It was not apparent if these principles applied to complicated, irregular patterns, despite behavioral and neurophysiological research providing evidence for completing basic patterns. 

For a study, researchers demonstrate how the number of hidden items on partially obscured surfaces was overestimated. Even though observers reliably and properly evaluated the number of visible items and the percentage of occlusion, they did not accurately consider these factors when estimating the number of hidden objects. 

However, they were also considered; estimations of hidden items changed depending on whether the visible objects formed a line across the occluder or outside of it. Both completely visible and somewhat obscured surfaces had identical confidence ratings for numerosity estimates. 

According to the findings, perceptual judgments about what is concealed in surroundings can be quite erroneous and greatly underestimate the complexity of the world.

Reference: jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2785325