A model for the visual perception of direction.

An attempt is made to explain how the eyes can be moved with respect to the head and the observer can still assess the direction of an object in space fixed with respect to the head. My explanation is based on the assumption that the subject is made aware of the direction in which the eyes are pointing by the output from the brain center controlling the direction of fixation. He associates this signal with an awareness of "looking in a certain direction." The image falling on a certain point of the retina (usually near the center of the fovea), which I call the anchor point, is perceived as lying in the direction in which he "perceives himself to be looking." The directions of other objects are judged relative to the object that forms its image on the anchor point.