| New Bulgarian University > | Center for Cognitive Science > | Summer Schools > | 1999 > | Course Description |
Approaches to Visual Perception
Naum Yakimoff
The purpose of perception is to transform input in the form of the pattern of physical energy, produced by the external environment, into output in the form of information about environmental objects which can then be used to plan action. Different theoretical approaches to perception do not really confront each other. They focus on different sides of perception, reflecting the work of at least two different perceptual systems, providing answers to the questions WHAT? and WHERE? The course will examine the most influential theoretical approaches to perception form the perspective of how they consider the goal of perception.
Outline of Class Lectures with Readings:
Class 1: The computational approach to perception
Required readings:
Bruce V., Green P.R., Georgeson M.A. (1996).
Class 2: Perceptual organization. The Gestalt approach. Perception of form and object recognition.
Required readings:
Gordon I.E. (1997).
Class 3: Perception as the process of organization and meaningful interpretation of sensory stimulation - the constructivist approach.
Required readings:
Eysenk M.W., Keane M.T. (1995).
Class 4: Perception as the natural process that has evolved to deal with the real world - the ecological approach.
Required readings:
Bruce V., Green P.R., Georgeson M.A. (1996).
Class 5: Discussion: Contrasting perceptual approaches - perceptual stability and constancy; perception of position, orientation and motion; meaningful perception
Required readings:
Bruce V., Green P.R., Georgeson M.A. (1996).
Assessment: Course participants will be evaluated by
Naum Yakimoff is a Professor in Physiology of Vision at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and a Professor in Psychology of Perception at the New Bulgarian University. He is the General Scientific Secretary of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. His research is in the fields of eye movements and vision, perception of orientation and location of visual objects, perception and extrapolation of motion, aimed at investigating and revealing mechanisms of visual perception related to the control of eye movements, the role of visual masking and/or extraretinal signal in perceptual stability and the importance of optimization processes in visual extrapolation, localization and perceived orientation. Naum Yakimoff has more than 40 scientific articles and publications in peer reviewed journals (Vision Research, Perception & Psychophysics, Perception, Biological Cybernetics, Spatial Vision, Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, International Journal of Psychophysiology, Human Factors etc.). His results have been widely cited (more than 300 times) by other authors.
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