What is interposition in psychology?

Interposition is a concept in psychology that refers to the visual phenomenon where one object partially blocks another object, indicating that the partially obscured object is closer to the viewer. This concept is based on the idea that when one object obstructs the view of another, the brain perceives the obstructed object as being farther away.

Interposition is a type of monocular depth cue, which means that it can be perceived with just one eye. It is one of several depth cues that the brain uses to understand the three-dimensional layout of the visual environment. Other monocular depth cues include linear perspective, texture gradient, and relative size.

Interposition can be a useful cue for depth perception, particularly in situations where there are multiple objects in a scene and the viewer needs to determine their relative distances from one another. By using interposition, the brain can quickly and accurately determine which objects are closer and which are farther away in a complex visual scene.