Vision: Intermediate & High-Level Processing

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the intermediate and high-level processing of visual information as discussed in the lecture notes.

Two streams of visual analysis

The pathways from the retina to association cortices, specifically the 'WHAT' (ventral stream) and 'WHERE' (dorsal stream) pathways.

Extrastriate cortex

The cortical areas beyond the primary visual cortex (V1) that are involved in processing visual information.

Key visual features processed by the striate cortex (V1), related to the 'WHAT' and 'WHERE' visual processing streams.

Contrast, depth, and motion

Hierarchical processing

A process in visual perception that involves the extraction of core features, integration of those features, and high-level perception.

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)

A relay center in the thalamus where visual inputs are organized before reaching the primary visual cortex (V1).

Primary visual cortex (V1)

Also known as the striate cortex; where visual perception begins and which dissects the visual field into components like contrast and color.

Simple cells

Neurons in V1 that are orientation selective and respond to specific orientations of light.

Complex cells

Neurons in V1 that integrate inputs from multiple simple cells, allowing for detection of movement and complex shapes.

Agnosia

A neurological condition characterized by an inability to process sensory information; can affect visual recognition.

Prosopagnosia

A specific form of agnosia where individuals can recognize faces but cannot assign them to known persons.

Capgras syndrome

A condition affecting face recognition where individuals recognize familiar faces but believe they are imposters.

Dorsal stream

The pathway in the visual system responsible for visual guidance of actions, such as reaching and grasping.

Temporal summation

A mechanism in visual processing related to motion detection by integrating input over time.

Perception

The process by which the brain interprets sensory information to construct an understanding of the visual world.

Color constancy

The ability of the brain to perceive the color of objects consistently under varying lighting conditions.

Dual arrowheads

An illustrative concept demonstrating how perception is influenced by attention and expectation.

Visual cortical streams

The pathways in the brain's visual processing system that encode what objects are and where they are located.

Saccades

Rapid eye movements that redirect focus to different objects, essential for visual perception.