There are four main theories of perceptual development;

1.Traditional Theories

They believe that our perception of objects is developed through learning by associating the multiple sensations that an object evokes .

2.Gestalt Psychology

They claim that we perceive objects by organizing principles that result from the brain’s natural organizational processes influenced by innate principles. They believe that the brain has an innate ability to organize objects as wholes and not parts through the principles of proximity, similarity, continuity and closure.

3.Empiricists

They argue that infants are born ” blank slates” then experiences are imprinted on them .Later they learn to discriminate between sensory inputs. Thus , perception develops as a result of a long learning process.

4.Nativity’s

Argue that many perceptual abilities are present at birth due to structural characteristics of the nervous system.