Eye of Horus

Psyc/Biol 240 - Psychology and Biology of Perception
Outline of Section 2 Lecture Topics


Below is an outline of the topics covered in lecture before Exam 2. The outline is not split into different
lectures. It is not a substitute for class lectures, but is intended only to help you organize your notes.

  1. Studying the perceptual process - methods
    1. Biological/physiological methods
      1. Single-Cell recording (electrophysiology)
      2. Lesion
      3. Evoked potential
      4. Brain Scans (fMRI, CAT, PET)
    2. Computational methods (computer modeling)
    3. Psychological methods - Phenomenological/Naturalistic (introspection)
    4. Psychological methods - Experimental (Reaction Time, Accuracy, Rating)
      1. Psychophysics - Thresholds
        1. Absolute threshold
        2. Difference threshold (jnd)
      2. Classical Psychophysical methods - Gustav Fechner
        1. Method of Constant Stimuli
        2. Method of Limits
        3. Method of Adjustment
      3. Staircase method
      4. Forced-Choice (Objective) methods
      5. Psychometric vs. Psychophysical functions
      6. Difference Threshold and Weber's Law
      7. Signal Detection Theory
      8. Direct scaling/Magnitude Estimation - S.S Stevens
  2. The Neuron
    1. Structure of a typical neuron
      1. Dendrites
      2. Cell Body
      3. Axon
      4. Myelin sheath
      5. Axon terminal
      6. Synaptic vesicles
      7. Neurotransmitters
    2. Neural (electrochemical) conduction
      1. Membrane/resting potential
      2. Electrical and diffusion forces
      3. membrane semipermeability
      4. Sodium/potassium pump
      5. Graded/generator potential - EPSPs, IPSPs
      6. Action potential
    3. Advantages/disadvantages of graded potentials and action potentials
  3. Ganglion Cells - retinal processing
    1. Receptive fields
      1. Determining the receptive-field shape
      2. ON (excitatory) and OFF (inhibitory) regions
    2. Lateral Inhibition
      1. Perceived lightness - Hermann Grid
      2. Lightness constancy
      3. Lightness (Simultaneous) contrast
      4. Response to edges - Mach Bands
    3. Magnocellular vs. Parvocellular Systems - Characteristics
      1. Number of ganglion cells in system
      2. Receptive-field size
      3. Location on retina
      4. Conduction velocity of action potential
      5. Temporal aspects of response
      6. Acuity
      7. Color vision
      8. Function of system in perception
  4. Central Visual Pathways - the brain
    1. Optic Nerve/Optic Tract
    2. Pretectum
    3. Superior Colliculus
    4. The Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)
      1. Receptive-field properties
      2. Organization of information in LGN
      3. Connections to other brain areas
    5. The Visual Cortex (V1, Striate Cortex)
      1. Retinotopic Map, Cortical Magnification
      2. Types of neurons - Receptive-field characteristics
        1. Simple Cells
        2. Complex Cells
        3. End-Stopped (hypercomplex) Cells
      3. Organization of V1 - columns and hypercolumns
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Updated July 26, 2002.