Master
2025/2026
Visual Perception and Attention
Type:
Elective course (Cognitive Sciences and Technologies: From Neuron to Cognition)
Delivered by:
Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience
When:
1 year, 4 module
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Beatriz Martín-Luengo
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
44
Course 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
- 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
Course Contents
- Visual representations beyond the focus of attention
- Varieties of attention and early attentional theories
- The deployment of attention over space and time
- Feature-based and object-based attention
- Attention and consciousness
Assessment Elements
- 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.
- Activities at each lecture
- Home assignment (three individual reports)three individual reports during the module
