Vormcodering

Vormcodering, or shape coding, refers to the visual system’s encoding of the form of objects. It focuses on shape properties such as outlines, edges, curvature, and the arrangement of parts, and it supports object recognition as well as maintaining shape information in visual working memory. Shape encoding occurs alongside other features like color and texture and interacts with cues such as shading and depth.

Theoretical accounts of vormcodering vary. Some propose view-based representations, in which recognition relies on stored two-dimensional projections of previously seen views. Others emphasize abstract shape representations or structural descriptions that combine primitive features into configural descriptions. Contemporary perspectives often adopt a hybrid view, with early feature encoding feeding into higher-level, more invariant shape representations within the ventral visual stream.

Neural basis and processing dynamics are central to vormcodering. Early visual areas (V1–V4) extract local features and curvature, while higher regions of the ventral stream, including the lateral occipital complex and inferior temporal cortex, encode more complex and potentially viewpoint-invariant shape information. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological data show selective responsiveness to specific contours, parts, or shapes, and attention can enhance the coding of relevant shapes.

Development and applications are active areas of study. Vormcodering matures with experience and expertise and supports rapid recognition in cluttered or occluded scenes, as well as the maintenance of shape information in visual working memory. In technology, shape encoding informs computer vision, pattern recognition, and tools for visual prosthetics. Ongoing research aims to clarify the balance between feature-based and structural representations and to delineate the cortical circuits involved.