Abstract
A neurophysiological experiment is proposed to determine the existence of visual object concept neurons. The basic technique is to deprive newborn animals of all visual experience with the exception of a small number of objects exposed one at a time in a Ganzfeld. Such a demonstration would be important in extending the range of validity of the principle of specific neuron encoding.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Reference Note
Wickelgren, W. A. Consolidation and forgetting (Chapter 10). Unpublished chapter of book in preparation.
References
Gross, C. G., Bender, D. B., & Rocha-Miranda, C. E. Visual receptive fields of neurons in inferotemporal cortex of the monkey. Science, 1969, 166, 1303–1306.
Hubel, D. H., & Wiesel, T. N. Receptive fields, binocular interaction and functional architecture in the cat’s visual cortex. Journal of Physiology, 1962, 160, 106–154.
Michalski, A., Kossut, M., & Zernicki, B. Single-unit responses to natural objects in area 19 of cats with different early visual experiences. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimental (Warsaw), 1975, 35, 77–83.
Müller, J. Elements of physiology (Vol. 2). (W. Baly, trans.). London: 1842. (Originally published, 1838). Relevant section reprinted in a R. J. Herrnstein & E. G. Boring (Eds.), A source book in the history of psychology. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1965. Pp. 26-33.
Pakkenberg, H. The number of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex of man. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 1966, 128, 17–20.
Thompson, R. F., Mayers, K. S., Robertson, R. T., & Patterson, C. J. Number coding in association cortex of the cat. Science, 1970, 168, 271–273.
Wickelgren, W. A. Learned specification of concept neurons. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics, 1969, 31, 123–142.
Zernicki, B., & Michalski, A. Single-unit responses to natural objects in visual areas 17 and 18 of cats reared under different visual experiences. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis (Warsaw), 1974, 34, 697–712.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by Grant BNS-03145 from the National Science Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wickelgren, W.A. Concept neurons: A proposed developmental study. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 10, 232–234 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329333
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329333