Active Vision: The Psychology of Looking and Seeing (Oxford Psychology): 37 (Oxford Psychology Series) - Softcover

Findlay, John M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 019852479X ISBN 13: 9780198524793

Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A., 2003

Synopsis

More than one third of the human brain is devoted to the processes of seeing - vision is after all the main way in which we gather information about the world. But human vision is a dynamic process during which the eyes continually sample the environment. Where most books on vision consider it as a passive activity, this book is unique in focusing on vision as an 'active' process. It goes beyond most accounts of vision where the focus is on seeing, to provide an integrated account of seeing AND looking. The book starts by pointing out the weaknesses in our traditional approaches to vision and the reason we need this new approach. It then gives a thorough description of basic details of the visual and oculomotor systems necessary to understand active vision. The book goes on to show how this approach can give a new perspective on visual attention, and how the approach has progressed in the areas of visual orienting, reading, visual search, scene perception and neuropsychology. Finally, the book summarises progress by showing how this approach sheds new light on the old problem of how we maintain perception of a stable visual world. Written by two leading vision scientists, this book will be valuable for vision researchers and psychology students, from undergraduate level upwards.

About this title

Product Description:

More than one third of the human brain is devoted to the processes of seeing-vision is after all the main way in which we gather information about the world. This book is unique in focusing on vision as an "active" process. It goes beyond most accounts of vision where the focus is on seeing, to provide an integrated account of seeing and looking. Written by two leading vision scientists, this book will be valuable for vision researchers and psychology students.

Review:

. . . Findlay and Gilchrist deliver a book that will function as a good map to any diver looking for hidden treasures in the field of eye movements, search, and attention. This map shows where the different groups of divers are located relative to each other, their working techniques, their goals. All of this is done without overwhelming beginner divers or putting experienced divers to sleep. Now, it is up to the divers themselves to make good use of the book and keep swimming away. Who knows, it might help us find the hidden treasure. If it does indeed exist at all! (Perception, 33/8)

. . . a marvellous and bold book, which, as the authors state, attempts to initiate a paradigm shift. The type of research questions vision scientists ask in 20 years time will only then reveal whether the authors have succeeded. (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 18)

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A.
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 019852479X
• ISBN 13: 9780198524793
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240