Delivered at:: Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 1 year, 4 module

Instructor

Кулиева Алмара Кудрат кызы

Full Syllabus

Abstract

Visual perception is an inference of a scene out there based on a sensory input from eyes. Visual attention is a process concentrating a computational force of the brain on a specific aspect of the perceived scene or of the sensory input. The processes of perception and attention interact with one another and the interaction is even indispensable for them. This course will review studies about them, interactions between them, and their relation with neurophysiological mechanisms. Theories behind perception and attention will be particularly emphasized. The first half of the course mostly covers perception: theories of the visual perception and their neurophysiological explanations. The second half of the course more emphasizes attention itself: types of attention, how attention affects cognitive performance, how it makes us see what we see, how it is linked to memory and consciousness, and why it is limited.

Learning Objectives

Learn the ability to control low-level cognitive factors for studying high-level cognitive process
Learn theoretical and analytical approaches to study the human cognition

Expected Learning Outcomes

Know the basics about multi-disciplinary aspects of vision science
Know the basics and theories about the forward and inverse relations between the distal stimuli and their perception
Knows the basics about attention and consciousness
Knows the basics about the deployment of attention over space and time
Knows the basics about visual representations beyond the focus of attention
Knows the basics of feature-based and object-based attention
Knows the basics of varieties of attention and early attentional theories
Knows theories of visual perception and its current questions
Knows theories of visual perception and their questions
Learn the ability to control visual stimuli in behavioral and neuro-physiological experiments
Learn the ability to control visual stimuli in experiments

Course Contents

How to study vision
2D and 3D perception
Color perception
Varieties of attention and early attentional theories
The deployment of attention over space and time
Feature-based and object-based attention
Visual representations beyond the focus of attention
Attention and consciousness
Integrating information
Psychophysics and Neuroscience

Assessment Elements

Home assignment (Perception)
Visual perception home assignment; It's weight in grading is 0.21
Take home test (Perception)
1 take home exam around the end of the module of the perception part; Its weight in grading is 0.28.
Presentation (attention)
Students make presentation on the articles
Multiple choice test (attention)
The exam is conducted in written form using asynchronous proctoring. The exam is conducted on the LMS platform. It is necessary to connect to the exam 10 minutes before the beginning. System testing is available on the Examus platform. To participate in the exam, the student must log in to the proctoring platform in advance, turn on the camera and microphone, log in using first and last name, test the system, turn on the camera and microphone, and confirm identity. During the exam, students are not allowed to: communicate (on social media, with people in the room), cheat. A short-term disruption of communication during the exam is considered to be an interruption of communication for up to 10 minutes. Long-term disruption of communication during the exam is considered to be interruption of communication for 10 minutes or more. In case of long-term disruption of communication, the student cannot continue to participate in the exam.

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 4th module
0.21 * Home assignment (Perception) + 0.3 * Multiple choice test (attention) + 0.21 * Presentation (attention) + 0.28 * Take home test (Perception)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Busemeyer, J. R. (2015). The Oxford Handbook of Computational and Mathematical Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=958385
Foster, D. H. (2011). Color constancy. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.9F267FAC
Lu, Z.-L., & Dosher, B. (2014). Visual Psychophysics : From Laboratory to Theory. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=649168
Michael S. Landy, Laurence T. Maloney, Elizabeth B. Johnston, & Mark Young. (1995). Measurement and modeling of depth cue combination: in defense of weak fusion. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.FF2DB75
Vicki Bruce, Mark A. Georgeson, & Patrick R. Green. (2003). Visual Perception : Physiology, Psychology and Ecology: Vol. Fourth edition. Psychology Press.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Bender, M. (2011). 3D Shape. Its Unique Place in Visual Perception. * Zygmunt Pizlo. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.C99AC9B0
Bilodeau, L., & Faubert, J. (1997). Isoluminance and chromatic motion perception throughout the visual field. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0042-6989(97)00012-6
Braithwaite, J. J., Watson, D. G., Andrews, L., & Humphreys, G. W. (2010). Visual search at isoluminance: Evidence for enhanced color weighting in standard sub-set and preview-based visual search. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2010.01.013
Howard, I. P., & Rogers, B. J. (2012). Perceiving in Depth. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=414436
Howard, I. P., & Rogers, B. J. (2012). Perceiving in Depth. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=414437
Howard, I. P., & Rogers, B. J. (2012). Perceiving in Depth. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=414438
Kai Hamburger, Thorsten Hansen, & Karl R. Gegenfurtner. (2007). Geometric-optical illusions at isoluminance.
Kingdom, F. A. A., Simmons, D. R., & Rainville, S. (1999). On the apparent collapse of stereopsis in random-dot-stereograms at isoluminance. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0042-6989(98)00257-0

Master’s Programme 'Cognitive Sciences and Technologies: From Neuron to Cognition'

Our labs in HSE:

Visual Perception and Attention