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From Attention to Goal-Directed Behavior pp 67–82Cite as

Attention and Neurodynamical Correlates of Natural Vision

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In the last decade, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that most sensory systems and particularly the visual system are intensely subject to dynami¬cal top-down influences that depend on the current behavior of the organism. During natural vision, eye movements and neuronal activity in many visual areas are dependent on attention and goal-directed actions of the organism. Yet, current models of visual perception are mainly based on studies that have examined neuro-nal activity using very simple stimuli, or restrictive behavioral conditions. Moreover, current receptive field models based on these studies appear to fail when they are tested during experiments that used natural stimuli or complex visual behavior. In this chapter, we discuss new evidence showing that the classical receptive field is an incomplete description of the response of neurons in the visual system, largely because we have overlooked top-down influences in neuronal activity and behavior. We argue that the use of natural stimuli and natural behaviors such as free viewing, by including attention and other top-down mechanisms, can provide new insights into the neurodynamical correlates of visual perception.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Fisiologia y Biofisica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, Santiago, 70005, Chile

    P. E. Maldonado, J. P. Ossandón & F. J. Flores

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  1. P. E. Maldonado
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  2. J. P. Ossandón
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  3. F. J. Flores
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Correspondence to P. E. Maldonado .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Psiquiatría, Centro de Investigaciones Médicas, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta, Santiago, 391, Chile

    Francisco Aboitiz

  2. Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile

    Diego Cosmelli

  3. Laboratorio de Neurociencias Cognitivas, Centro de Investigaciones Médicas, Escuela de Medicina, Piso, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta, Santiago, 391, 2°, Chile

    Diego Cosmelli

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Maldonado, P.E., Ossandón, J.P., Flores, F.J. (2009). Attention and Neurodynamical Correlates of Natural Vision. In: Aboitiz, F., Cosmelli, D. (eds) From Attention to Goal-Directed Behavior. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70573-4_4

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