AP Psychology Practice Test 2025 - Free AP Psychology Practice Questions and Study Guide

Shape constancy refers to our perceptual ability to recognize objects as maintaining the same shape, even when they are viewed from different angles or perspectives. This phenomenon demonstrates how our brain processes visual information to interpret the shape of an object consistently, regardless of changes in its orientation. For instance, a door appears rectangular from the front, but when it is partially open, it may look like a trapezoid; our perception still understands it to be the same rectangular door.

This perceptual stability is crucial for navigating and interacting with our environment, allowing us to recognize and categorize objects accurately. Although other options relate to aspects of perception, they do not specifically address the constancy principle regarding shape perception.