PSYCH261 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6.1: Ganglion Cell, Sensory Neuroscience, Visual Perception

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH261
• Professor: Daniel Smilek

Document Summary

You perceive something only when it alters your brain activity. When you see a tree for example, your perception is not in the tree. Green grass greenness is in us, light bounce off grass + react with neurons in your brain. Your brain codes the information in terms of which neurons respond, their amount of response, and the timing of their responses. One aspect of coding is which neurons are active. The law of specific nerve energies (whatever excites a particular nerve establishes a special kind of energy unique to that nerve) 2nd aspect of coding = amount of response (how many action potentials a neuron sends per unit of time) ex. The eye and its connections to the brain: Pupil (opening in center of the iris) light enters here. Focused by lens (adjustable) and cornea (not adjustable) projected onto retina (rear surface of the eye lined with visual receptors.