"There has been a great gulf in psychological thought between the perception of space and objects on one hand and the perception of meaning on the other"

James J. Gibson, a prominent figure in the field of psychology, especially understood for his eco-friendly technique to visual understanding, made the statement highlighting a critical difference within psychological thought. The quote highlights a conceptual division in between 2 major elements of understanding: the understanding of area and objects, and the understanding of meaning.

On one hand, the understanding of space and things involves the immediate recognition and processing of the physical homes of the environment around us. This includes the size, shape, range, and orientation of items in spatial terms. It is a more direct and sensory-driven type of understanding, frequently worried about the tangible and measurable aspects of the environment.

On the other hand, the perception of suggesting refer to understanding and translating the significance or implications of the things and environment we view. This includes abstract thinking, reasoning, and the application of prior knowledge and experience to grasp the contextual or symbolic value of what we observe. It's more about understanding the "why" and "what" behind the sensory data, which frequently needs higher-order cognitive procedures and is deeply rooted in cultural, social, and specific contexts.

Gibson's acknowledgement of this "terrific gulf" shows the continuous challenge in psychology to incorporate these two types of perception effectively. While traditional psychology frequently concentrated on these elements separately, Gibson's ecological method aimed to bridge this gap by stressing the direct relationship between organisms and their environments. He promoted for understanding perception as an active process of engaging with the world, where the environment manages various opportunities for action, or "affordances", thus providing a more unified view of understanding.

Gibson's point of view recommends that to totally understand human perception, it is necessary to think about both the sensory and significant dimensions together. This integrated view can lead to a more holistic understanding of how we interact with and interpret the world, highlighting the inseparability of viewing the environment and ascribing indicating to it.