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Visual Perception and the Brain

Approx. 14 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Learn about how the brain processes visual information and how we perceive the world around us with this course on visual perception.

Key Learning Points

Understand the key concepts and theories behind visual perception
Explore how visual perception affects our daily lives and decision-making
Learn about the latest research and developments in the field of visual perception

Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have

- USA: $65,000
- India: ₹4,50,000
- Spain: €30,000
- USA: $65,000
- India: ₹4,50,000
- Spain: €30,000
- USA: $85,000
- India: ₹6,00,000
- Spain: €40,000
- USA: $65,000
- India: ₹4,50,000
- Spain: €30,000
- USA: $85,000
- India: ₹6,00,000
- Spain: €40,000
- USA: $105,000
- India: ₹8,00,000
- Spain: €55,000

Learning Outcomes

Understand the basic principles of visual perception
Apply knowledge of visual perception to real-world scenarios
Stay up-to-date with the latest research and developments in visual perception

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of neuroscience and psychology
Familiarity with scientific research methods

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online self-paced
Video lectures
Quizzes and assignments

Similar Courses

Cognitive Neuroscience
Introduction to Psychology
Sensation and Perception

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Neuroscientist
Psychologist

Related Books

Description

Learners will be introduced to the problems that vision faces, using perception as a guide. The course will consider how what we see is generated by the visual system, what the central problem for vision is, and what visual perception indicates about how the brain works. The evidence will be drawn from neuroscience, psychology, the history of vision science and what philosophy has contributed. Although the discussions will be informed by visual system anatomy and physiology, the focus is on perception. We see the physical world in a strange way, and goal is to understand why.

Outline

Background
Course Introduction
Background: What We Actually See
The Strange Way We See the Physical World (part 1)
The Strange Way We See the Physical World (part 2)
The Inverse Problem
Summary of Topic One
Visual Stimuli
Making an Image
Summary of Topic Two
The Eye (part 1)
The Eye (part 2)
The Retina (part 1)
The Retina (Part 2)
The Primary Visual Pathway (part 1)
The Primary Visual Pathway (part 2)
The Visual Cortex (part 1)
The Visual Cortex (part 2)
The Concept of Receptive Fields
Summary of Topic Three
Summary of Module One
About the Course
Grading Policy
Module1, Topic 1
Module 1, Topics 2-3

Seeing Lightness, Darkness and Color
Definitions
Discrepancies between Luminance and Lightness
More Complex Examples as Counter Evidence
An Empirical Explanation Based on Accumulated Experience (part 1)
An Empirical Explanation Based on Accumulated Experience (part 2)
Summary of Topic One
Definitions
Light and Color
How the Retina Initiates Color Vision (part 1)
How the Retina Initiates Color Vision (part 2)
Why Do We Have Color Vision?
Describing Color Perception
The Strange Way We See Color
An Empirical Answer (part 1)
An Empirical Answer (part 2)
Topic Summary
Module Summary
Module 2, Topic 1
Module 2, Topic 2

Seeing Space
Geometrical “Illusions”
The Inverse Problem in Geometry
Seeing the Length of Lines
An Empirical Explanation of Apparent Line Length (part 1)
An Empirical Explanation of Apparent Line Length (part 2)
The Perception of Angles
An Empirical Explanation
Seeing Object Size
An Empirical Explanation
Topic Summary
Definitions
Seeing Distance with One Eye
Seeing Depth with Two Eyes (Stereopsis, part 1)
Seeing Depth with Two Eyes (Stereopsis, part 2)
Explaining Stereopsis
Random Dot Stereograms and the Correspondence Problem
Binocular Fusion (part 1)
Binocular Fusion (part 2)
Topic Summary
Module 3, Topic 1
Module 3, Topic 2

Seeing Motion
Definitions
Phenomena that Need Explaining
Apparent Motion
Motion After Effects
The Inverse Problem for Motion
Perceived Speed: The Flash-Lag Effect
An Empirical Explanation of the Flash-Lag Effect
Perceived Direction: Aperture Effects
An Empirical Explanation
Module 4

Summing Up
Alternative Conceptions of Vision
Vision as Feature Detection (part 1)
Vision as Feature Detection (part 2)
Vision as Inference (part 1)
Vision as Inference (part 2)
Vision as Efficient Coding
Vision as Way of Contending with the Inverse Problem
Topic Summary
Does the Brain Work by Computing?
Or is the Brain an Engine of Reflex Associations?
Some Concluding Remarks
Module 5, Topic 1
Module 5, Topic 2

Summary of User Reviews

The Visual Perception course on Coursera has received great reviews from users. Students praise the course for its comprehensive coverage of the topic and engaging teaching style.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Comprehensive coverage of the topic

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging teaching style
In-depth explanations
High-quality course materials

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course content challenging
Limited interaction with instructors
Lack of practical applications

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