The cast shadow of a flat square was depicted on a computer screen by orthografic projection, and investigated as a perceived depth cue. The shadow was projected to five positions relative to the incidence of the light in each quadrant of the screen. Five adults participated in the experiment. Results indicated that the magnitude of the depth estimates increased as a function of the exposed shadow area when the same was partially ocluded. In the conditions in which the shadow was not ocluded, perceptual and cognitive factor can bias the depth estimates.
Cast shadow; depth perception; visual perception