Basic Visual Functioning

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to basic visual functioning, developmental milestones, and the sensory processes involved in vision.

Visual Functioning

The ability of the visual system to process information about the environment.

Goal of Development

To build a coherent knowledge base of the world by integrating necessary information at the appropriate age.

Acuity

The clarity or sharpness of vision, important for recognizing details.

Contrast Sensitivity

The ability to detect differences in luminance between light and dark areas.

Sensory Processes

Processes that extract information from the sensory environment.

Visual Acuity Testing

Methods such as preferential looking and VEP to measure the sharpness of vision.

VEP (Visual Evoked Potentials)

A test that measures the electrical activity in the brain in response to visual stimuli.

Grating Acuity

A measure of visual acuity based on the perception of stripes or patterns.

Vernier Acuity

The ability to perceive small amounts of misalignment between two lines or edges.

Development of Visual Acuity

Visual acuity levels off after 6 months and reaches adult levels by 1 year.

Neonatal Contrast Sensitivity

In early infancy, contrast sensitivity is concerned with brightness differences.

Spatial Frequencies

Representations of visual information related to the fine details of an image.

Cone Density

The number of cone cells in the fovea that affects visual acuity and contrast sensitivity.

Lens Accommodation

The ability of the lens to change shape and focus on objects at various distances.

Myelin Sheath Development

The progression of insulating layers around nerve fibers which impacts visual processing.

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

A part of the visual system that helps process visual information before reaching the cortex.

Orientation Selectivity

The visual system's ability to detect the orientation of patterns in the visual field.

Saccades

Quick eye movements that localize stationary objects.

Pursuit Movements

Smooth eye movements that track a moving target.

Novelty Preference

A method used to assess visual discrimination in newborns based on their preference for new stimuli.

Predictive Saccades

Eye movements made in anticipation of a moving object's future position.

Visual Habituation

A decrease in responding to a repeated stimulus, indicating visual discrimination.

Optic Nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Visual Cortex Development

The maturation of the brain areas responsible for processing visual information.

Early Visual Processing

Initial interpretation of visual data occurring shortly after visual input reaches the brain.

Braddick Experiment

A study that investigated orientation selectivity in infants using VEP measurements.

Phase Shift

A change in the visual stimulus that can be detected through variations in brain activity.

Grating vs. Vernier Acuity

Grating acuity is superior in infancy, while vernier acuity surpasses it by age 5.

Brightness Difference

The contrast perceived between light and dark areas in a visual stimulus.

Fine Detail Detection

The ability to perceive small features and nuances in visual input.

Spatial Environment

The surrounding area and positioning of objects in relation to each other.

Visual Inputs

The visual information received by the sensory system from the environment.

Infant Eye Movements

The characteristics and development of eye movement patterns in infants.

Eye Movement Tracking

The process of monitoring and measuring eye movements during viewing tasks.

Neonatal Vision

The capabilities of vision present at birth.

Visual System Maturation

The development and improvement of the structures and functions of the visual system as an individual grows.

Infant Tracking Skills

The ability of infants to follow moving objects with their eyes, developing over time.

Developmental Milestone

A significant point in the maturation of a child’s physical or cognitive abilities.

Visual Acuity Levels by Age

Progressive improvement in visual acuity as an infant ages from months to years.

Visual Pattern Recognition

The ability to identify and differentiate shapes, colors, and patterns.

Visual Development Theory

Theories explaining how visual abilities emerge and evolve throughout infancy and childhood.