HSCI-230: Anatomy & Psych of Perception

Visual perception includes both observation and interpretation, and ranges from the mere detection of objects being present in the visual field to the construction of reality and the assessment of meaning. In this course we will study the anatomical structures involved in seeing (the eye and the visual cortex), relating them to both "normal" and dysfunctional seeing, including characteristics of the visual field, the perception of color, brightness, and depth, and the recognition of faces. The psychological processes relevant in visual perception include attention and selection, seeing emotional content, and the relation between seeing and thinking. We will deal with the neurological equivalent of these processes, and study both normal and abnormal perception of the environment and the body. The objective is to gain an understanding of seeing-as-action, as a neuropsychological construction, and to become more aware of the characteristics of the experiential phenomena of seeing.