12 pagesAccurate shape perception is critical for object perception, identification, manipulation, and
recreation. Humans are capable of making judgements of both objective (physical) and projective
(retinal) shape. Objective judgements benefit from a global approach by incorporating context to
overcome the effects of viewing angle on an object’s shape, whereas projective judgements benefit
from a local approach to filter out contextual information. Realistic drawing skill requires projective
judgements of 3D targets to accurately depict 3D shape on a 2D surface, thus benefiting from a local
approach. The current study used a shape perception task that comprehensively tests the effects of
context on shape perception, in conjunction with a drawing task and several possible measures of local
processing bias, to show that the perceptual basis of drawing skill in neurotypical adults is not due to a
local processing bias. Perceptual flexibility, the ability to process local or global information as needed,
is discussed as a potential mechanism driving both accurate shape judgements and realistic drawing