COGS 17 Midterm 2 Test Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025
Across Fiber Coding - Answers When a stimulus is coded through the RATIO of response across multiple
cells
Convergence (or Summation) - Answers When multiple pre-synaptic cells all communicate to one post-
synaptic cell
Divergence - Answers When one presynaptic cell communicates to many post-synaptic cells
Receptive Field - Answers Set of receptors whose actitvity influences the activity of target cell
Excitatory Center- Inhibitory Surround - Answers Type of above: stimulating center increases target
response, non-center decreases it
Topological - Answers Type of map that preserves spatial relaitonships (as along a sensory surface)
Magnification - Answers In cortex, disproportionate enlargement of the rep. of a sensory area of low
convergence
Module - Answers An area of the brain specialized for processing one particular type of information
The Binding Problem - Answers The problem posed by having several of the above, and yet perceiving
wholes
Retina - Answers Rear layers of neurons in the eyeball
Receptors (Rods & Cones) - Answers Cells that respond to light; show spontaneous, graded release of
inhibitory NT
Rods - Answers Above that are convergent, sensitive to motion & low light, mainly in periphery
Cones - Answers Above that connect few:1, sensitive to color & detail, dispersed plus conc'd in center
Fovea - Answers Central area of above receptor types only, connected 1:1 for highest acuity
Bipolars - Answers Next cell in pathway, spontaneous, graded potentials, release excitatory NT
Horizontals - Answers Inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in color opponency
Ganglions - Answers Next cell in pathway, action potentials, release excitatory NT
Optic Nerve - Answers Formed of axons of the above
Optic Disc - Answers Place where above leaves eye for brain, also called "Blind Spot"
Amacrines - Answers Inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in contrast effects
Dim - Answers Level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from receptors
, Bright - Answers Level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from bipolars
Acuity - Answers High-detail discrimination, as from low convergence, that retains info on diffs
Sensitivity - Answers High likelihood of detection, as from high convergence that crosses next cell's
threshold
Lateral Inhibition - Answers Cell activity resulting in release of inhibitory NT to cells orthogonal to info
pathway
Simultaneous - Answers Contrast Illusion created by above that alters perception of central grey
depending on its surround
Uni-directional - Answers Direction of inhibition (uni- or bi-directional?) in direction-senstive motion
circuit
Lateral Geniculate Nuc or LGN - Answers Nucleus in Thalamus that processes most visual information
from eye
Column - Answers In cortex, set of cells, in 6 layers, that all respond to the same preferred stimulus
Hyper-Column - Answers In cortex, set of cells that all have same RF and include set of orientation cols &
blobs
Retinotopic Map - Answers Topological map that preserves spatial relationships found on Retina
A1 or Striate Cortex - Answers Primary Projection area for vision in Occipital Lobe of cortex
Parvocellular Pathway - Answers Visual pathway specialized for color and detail, that "flows" along
bottom of cortex
Temporal Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it terminates in this lobe of the cortex
What/Who Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it conveys info that helps you to identify a
stimulus or individual
Parvocellular or X Ganglions - Answers Small ganglion cells that begin this pathway, with small RFs &
sustained response
Magnocellular Pathway - Answers Visual pathway specialized for motion and localization,"flows" along
top part of cortex
Parietal Pathway - Answers Above also called ...because it terminates in this lobe of the cortex
Where/How Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it conveys info that helps locate & interact
w/stimuli
Across Fiber Coding - Answers When a stimulus is coded through the RATIO of response across multiple
cells
Convergence (or Summation) - Answers When multiple pre-synaptic cells all communicate to one post-
synaptic cell
Divergence - Answers When one presynaptic cell communicates to many post-synaptic cells
Receptive Field - Answers Set of receptors whose actitvity influences the activity of target cell
Excitatory Center- Inhibitory Surround - Answers Type of above: stimulating center increases target
response, non-center decreases it
Topological - Answers Type of map that preserves spatial relaitonships (as along a sensory surface)
Magnification - Answers In cortex, disproportionate enlargement of the rep. of a sensory area of low
convergence
Module - Answers An area of the brain specialized for processing one particular type of information
The Binding Problem - Answers The problem posed by having several of the above, and yet perceiving
wholes
Retina - Answers Rear layers of neurons in the eyeball
Receptors (Rods & Cones) - Answers Cells that respond to light; show spontaneous, graded release of
inhibitory NT
Rods - Answers Above that are convergent, sensitive to motion & low light, mainly in periphery
Cones - Answers Above that connect few:1, sensitive to color & detail, dispersed plus conc'd in center
Fovea - Answers Central area of above receptor types only, connected 1:1 for highest acuity
Bipolars - Answers Next cell in pathway, spontaneous, graded potentials, release excitatory NT
Horizontals - Answers Inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in color opponency
Ganglions - Answers Next cell in pathway, action potentials, release excitatory NT
Optic Nerve - Answers Formed of axons of the above
Optic Disc - Answers Place where above leaves eye for brain, also called "Blind Spot"
Amacrines - Answers Inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in contrast effects
Dim - Answers Level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from receptors
, Bright - Answers Level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from bipolars
Acuity - Answers High-detail discrimination, as from low convergence, that retains info on diffs
Sensitivity - Answers High likelihood of detection, as from high convergence that crosses next cell's
threshold
Lateral Inhibition - Answers Cell activity resulting in release of inhibitory NT to cells orthogonal to info
pathway
Simultaneous - Answers Contrast Illusion created by above that alters perception of central grey
depending on its surround
Uni-directional - Answers Direction of inhibition (uni- or bi-directional?) in direction-senstive motion
circuit
Lateral Geniculate Nuc or LGN - Answers Nucleus in Thalamus that processes most visual information
from eye
Column - Answers In cortex, set of cells, in 6 layers, that all respond to the same preferred stimulus
Hyper-Column - Answers In cortex, set of cells that all have same RF and include set of orientation cols &
blobs
Retinotopic Map - Answers Topological map that preserves spatial relationships found on Retina
A1 or Striate Cortex - Answers Primary Projection area for vision in Occipital Lobe of cortex
Parvocellular Pathway - Answers Visual pathway specialized for color and detail, that "flows" along
bottom of cortex
Temporal Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it terminates in this lobe of the cortex
What/Who Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it conveys info that helps you to identify a
stimulus or individual
Parvocellular or X Ganglions - Answers Small ganglion cells that begin this pathway, with small RFs &
sustained response
Magnocellular Pathway - Answers Visual pathway specialized for motion and localization,"flows" along
top part of cortex
Parietal Pathway - Answers Above also called ...because it terminates in this lobe of the cortex
Where/How Pathway - Answers Above also called...because it conveys info that helps locate & interact
w/stimuli
