Object Recognition Processes

A collection of flashcards covering key concepts related to object recognition processes and their underlying neurological mechanisms.

What is object constancy?

The ability to recognize objects in countless situations, despite variation in the physical stimulus.

What are the two main pathways involved in visual processing?

The ventral stream (occipitotemporal pathway) for object perception and recognition, and the dorsal stream (occipitoparietal pathway) for spatial perception.

What is the role of the lateral occipital cortex?

It is critical for the recognition of an object's shape.

What is the main difference between apperceptive and associative visual agnosia?

Apperceptive visual agnosia is the inability to assemble basic components of recognition, while associative visual agnosia is the inability to link a percept with its semantic information.

What does the fusiform face area (FFA) specialize in?

It is specialized for processing face stimuli.

How does top-down processing enhance object recognition?

It involves information provided from the frontal cortex based on a fast analysis of visual input.

What is optic ataxia and what brain lesions are associated with it?

Optic ataxia is the inability to use visual information to guide action, associated with lesions in the parietal cortex.

What distinguishes holistic processing from analysis-by-parts processing?

Holistic processing emphasizes the overall shape of an object, while analysis-by-parts focuses on the individual components.

What are grandmother cells in the context of object recognition?

Neurons that are finely tuned to respond to specific stimuli; the concept represents the idea of neurons signaling the presence of a known stimulus.

What can visual agnosia indicate about the organization of object recognition in the brain?

It suggests that object recognition processes may be organized either by features and motor properties or by categories relevant to survival and reproduction.