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Definition
| Number of times per second a wave repeats itself. |
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Definition
| Special room built to create size / distance illusions with real human models. |
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Definition
| Principles of visual grouping or organization. |
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Definition
| The actual stimulus to which a perceiver is currently attending. |
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Definition
| Visual features that allow a viewer to determine the relative distances of different points in an image. |
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Definition
| Everything in our surroundings that we could potentially perceive at a given time. |
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Definition
| A loss of ability to see color due to damage to the visual cortex. |
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Definition
| A distorted or incorrect perception. |
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Definition
| The idea that we perceive the real world directly, as it actually is. |
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Definition
| Deriving a model from data, e.g., creating an accurate model of a 3D scene from a 2D projection. |
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Definition
| Depth cue based on the impression that parallel lines meet in the distance, thus objects of a given size decrease in apparent size with distance. |
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Definition
| Consisting of multiple components or subsystems, each somewhat independent of or encapsulated from the others. |
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Definition
| A loss of ability to see motion due to damage to the visual cortex. |
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Definition
| A depth cue in which one object partly covering another is assumed to be closer in distance. |
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Definition
| The distance traveled by a wave over a single cycle. |
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Definition
| Predicting data from a model, e.g., predicting the 2D projection of a known 3D scene. |
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Definition
| Gestalt principle that refers to the tendency to see points or things that are close to each other as belonging together. |
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Definition
| A unit or "packet" of light energy. |
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Definition
| Continuum of wave energy, a narrow band of which is visible light. |
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Definition
| Light sensitive cell on the retina. |
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Definition
| The transformation of energy from the environment (light waves, sound waves, etc.) into electrical energy in the nervous system. |
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Definition
| Gestalt principle that refers to the tendency to fill in an incomplete object or incompletely enclosed space. |
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Term
| Principle of good continuation |
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Definition
| Gestalt principle that refers to the tendency to see points that follow a straight or smoothly curving line as connected, or more generally to prefer straight or smoothly curving lines. |
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Term
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Definition
| A problem that cannot be solved (a unique answer found) with the information given. |
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Definition
| Gestalt principle that refers to the tendency to see similar things as belonging together. |
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Definition
| A visual disorder in which a person is unable to recognize faces, while retaining the ability to recognize other types of objects. |
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Definition
| The “missing information” about the nature of physical reality that allows us to automatically arrive at the most likely interpretation of a given input. Examples would include depth cues and gestalt principles. |
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Definition
| A depth cue that relies on the fact that the texture of surfaces should appear denser the greater the distance from the observer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abrupt change from non-detection to reliable detection. |
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Definition
| An observer's ability to distinguish signal from noise; in signal detection theory, the distance between the noise and signal+noise distributions. |
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Definition
| Uses tiny electrodes (wires) to measure the electrical activity of individual neurons. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of determining a threshold in which the participant adjusts the stimulus for themselves to determine the point at which the threshold is crossed. |
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Term
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) |
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Definition
| Uses a powerful magnetic field to observe changes in blood flow to different areas of the brain in response to different cognitive tasks. |
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Term
| Method of constant stimuli |
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Definition
| A method of determining a threshold in which a predetermined set of stimulus values are presented for many trials in random order. |
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Term
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Definition
| An error in threshold experiments in which the person tends to provide a different response (present or absent) from the one they gave on the last few trials. |
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Term
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Definition
| Combining VEP's over many trials as a way to clarify the neural response to a specific stimulus by eliminating the random noise present on individual trials. |
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Term
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Definition
| An approach to studying an observer's actual sensitivity to a stimulus independently of the factors that determine their response criterion. |
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Term
| Signal + noise distribution |
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Definition
| The distribution of possible neural responses to a trial on which a stimulus is present. |
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Term
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Definition
| Using chemicals or electricity to temporarily increase the activity of specific brain areas to investigate the functioning of those areas. |
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Term
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Definition
| A psychophysical law stating that the subjective intensity of a stimulus equals the physical intensity of the stimulus raised to a specific power (exponent), multiplied by a constant. This law can accommodate diverse stimulus dimensions in which subjective intensity increases faster or slower than physical intensity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes a situation in which an observer correctly responds "yes" when a stimulus is present. |
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Definition
| Method of analyzing how light is absorbed or scattered by the surface of the brain as a way to observe neural activity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes a situation in which an observer mistakenly responds "yes" when no stimulus is present. |
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Term
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Definition
| A psychophysical law stating that the ratio of the difference threshold to overall intensity is a constant. In practical terms, this means that the more intense a stimulus, the more we need to add to that stimulus before we can detect the difference. |
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Term
| Electroencephalography (EEG) |
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Definition
| Studies the aggregate activity of many neurons by attaching electrodes to the scalp. |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability to distinguish a comparison stimulus from a standard stimulus. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes a situation in which an observer mistakenly responds "no" when a stimulus is present. |
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Term
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Definition
| An error in threshold experiments in which the person tends to give the same response (present or absent) as they gave on previous trials. |
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Term
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Definition
| Relation between the intensity of a stimulus and detection performance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Describes a situation in which an observer correctly responds "no" when no stimulus is present. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method of determining a threshold in which the stimulus is progressively increased and decreased to determine the point at which the threshold is crossed. |
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Term
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Definition
| The degree of confidence or strength of internal response required for an observer to respond "yes" in a signal detection task. |
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Term
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Definition
| The distribution of possible neural responses to a trial on which no stimulus is present. |
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Term
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Definition
| Strategic factors (prior probabilities, payoffs) that influence a person's response criterion in a signal detection task. |
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Term
| Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve |
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Definition
| Plots hit rates against false alarms rates. Each line represents a particular level of sensitivity, and different points on given line represent different response criteria at the same level of sensitivity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability to distinguish whether a stimulus is present or not. |
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Term
| transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) |
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Definition
| Uses a magnetic signal to disrupt processing in specific brain areas to investigate the functioning of those areas. |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability to relate different stimuli along a common dimension. |
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Term
| Just noticeable difference |
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Definition
| Smallest change in a stimulus that can be detected by a given observer. Sometimes referred to as the difference threshold. |
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Term
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Definition
| A psychophysical law stating that the subjective intensity of a stimulus equals the logarithm of the physical intensity, multiplied by a constant. In practical terms, this means that subjective intensity increases more slowly than physical intensity (diminishing effects). |
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Term
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Definition
| Studies relationship between properties of an objective stimulus and people's subjective perception of that stimulus. |
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Term
| Visually evoked potentials (VEP's) |
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Definition
| Attaches electrodes to the scalp to measure the neural response to the presentation of a specific visual stimulus. |
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Term
| Magnetoencephalography (MEG) |
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Definition
| Records faint magnetic fields on the surface of the scalp to measure neural activity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of eye consisting of an open, concave layer of cells. Can sense direction of light or shadow, but cannot focus an image. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of eye in which light enters through a small hole, which serves to focus the image. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of eye in which light is focused through an adjustable lens. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of eye in which a focused image is achieved because light must travel down small tubes to reach the photoreceptors. |
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Term
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Definition
| In the eye, a ring of muscles that determines how much light gets in; the colored part of the eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| The opening through which light passes to enter the eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| The white part of the visible eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| Clear membrane that covers the eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| Watery fluid between the lens and the cornea. |
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Term
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Definition
| Provides adjustable focus for a camera eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| Gelatinous substance that fills the main eye cavity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Central area of the retina where the cones are densest and vision is most accurate. |
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Term
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Definition
| Fibers that connect the lens to the surrounding cilliary muscles. Tensing the cilliary muscles releases tension on the fibers and allow the lens to get fatter; relaxing the cilliary muscles has the opposite effect. |
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Term
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Definition
| Contains a ring of muscles that surround the lens and control its shape. |
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Term
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Definition
| Disease in which the pressure of the aqueous humor within the eye becomes too strong, leading to damage to the retina and eventual blindness. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to a situation in which the eye is capable of focusing properly on both near and far objects. |
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Term
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Definition
| Near-sightedness caused by the lens being too strong or the eyeball being too long, so that far objects tend to be focused in front of the retina. |
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Term
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Definition
| Far-sightedness caused by the lens being too weak or the eyeball being too short, so that near objects tend to be focused behind the retina. |
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Term
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Definition
| The closest point a person is capable of focusing on. Tends to get farther away with age. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type of far-sightedness that occurs with aging due to inelasticity of the lens. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells in the retina that receive input from the photoreceptors and send output to the ganglion cells. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells in the retina that link photoreceptors together. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells in the retina linking the bipolar and ganglion cells. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells in the retina that send output to the brain via the optic nerve. |
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Term
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Definition
| One of two types of photoreceptors in the eye; functions at low light levels, poor resolution, black and white, most concentrated in the periphery of the visual field. |
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Term
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Definition
| One of two types of photoreceptors in the eye; functions best at light levels, high resolution, color, most concentrated in the center of the visual field (fovea). |
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Term
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Definition
| Vision carried out entirely by the rods due to low light intensity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Vision carried out entirely by the cones due to high light intensity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Vision carried out by both rods and cones due to intermediate levels of light intensity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to an increase in sensitivity to shorter wavelengths as light levels decrease. |
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Term
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Definition
| Large ganglion cells that send their outputs to the LGN; appear to carry information mainly about movement. |
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Term
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Definition
| Small ganglion cells that send their outputs to the LGN; appear to carry information about color. |
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Term
| Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) |
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Definition
| Part of the thalamus where most ganglion cells from the retina synapse. |
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Term
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Definition
| Location where the optic nerves from the two eyes come together and cross. |
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Term
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Definition
| Layer of large cells in the LGN that receive input from the M ganglion cells. |
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Term
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Definition
| Smaller cells in the LGN that receive input the the P ganglion cells. |
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Term
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Definition
| A third type of cell in the LGN (besides the M an P layers), may be involved in blue-yellow color vision. |
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Term
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Definition
| Layer in the right or left LGN that receives its input from the opposite-side eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| Layer in the right or left LGN that receives its input from the same-side eye. |
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Term
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Definition
| Spatial organization of the LGN and primary visual cortex in which adjacent cells in the brain process adjacent locations on the retina. |
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