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Rosenblatt's Perceptron

An early attempt to replicate human perception using computers, designed to distinguish basic visual patterns.

Distal Stimulus

The external object in the environment that initiates the perceptual process.

Proximal Stimulus

The representation of the distal stimulus on sensory receptors, such as the image formed on the retina.

Transduction

The process of converting environmental energy, like light, into electrical signals in the nervous system.

Dark Adaptation

The process of increasing sensitivity to light after moving from a brightly lit area to a dark one.

Bottom-Up Processing

Perception that starts with the stimulus and builds up to understanding based on sensory input.

Top-Down Processing

Perception that starts with prior knowledge or experiences and uses that to interpret sensory information.

Neural Convergence

The phenomenon where multiple neurons synapse onto a single neuron, increasing sensitivity but decreasing detail.

Absolute Threshold

The smallest detectable stimulus level needed for an observer to detect a stimulus.

Difference Threshold (Just-Noticeable Difference)

The smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Center-Surround Receptive Fields

Neurons in the visual system that respond differently to light in the center versus the surrounding area.

Lateral Inhibition

A process where excited neurons inhibit the activity of their neighbors, enhancing edge detection.

Visual Acuity

The ability to see fine details; better in areas with higher concentrations of cones, such as the fovea.

Spectral Sensitivity

The sensitivity of the eye to different wavelengths of light, differing for rods and cones.

Macular Degeneration

A visual disorder that affects the fovea, leading to a blind spot in central vision.

Retinitis Pigmentosa

A genetic disorder that leads to the degeneration of rod photoreceptors, causing tunnel vision and potentially total blindness.

Psychophysics

The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations they produce in perceivers.

Action Potential

A neural signal that travels down the axon of a neuron without decreasing in size.

Neuroimaging Techniques

Methods used to visualize brain activity, such as fMRI and EEG.

Cognitive Method

An approach that examines the information processing involved in perception and thought.

Perceptual Process

The series of steps from environmental stimuli to behavioral responses involving perception, recognition, and action.

Signal Detection Theory

A statistical approach to measuring the ability to distinguish between signal and noise in perception.

Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curves

Graphs used to evaluate the performance of a binary classifier system, showing the trade-offs between hit rate and false alarm rate.