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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Psychology => Topic started by: diligent18 on June 12, 2012, 01:45:23 pm

Title: Motion-after effect
Post by: diligent18 on June 12, 2012, 01:45:23 pm
Does anyone have a short/concise way to describe neural adaptation in Motion-after effect?
I feel like I can't talk about it without writing an essay.
Title: Re: Motion-after effect
Post by: Limista on June 12, 2012, 05:21:13 pm
Neurons in the brain that fire in response to movement become fatigued over time. When staring fixatedly at a moving stimulus, these neurons signal movement in one particular direction. When we direct our attention to another stimulus, these neurons fail to fire. Neurons that signal movement in the opposite direction are now generally more active than those that are fatigued, and brain interprets this as movement in the opposite direction.
An example of this is observed in the 'spiral after-effect', where if we stare at the centre of a rotating spiral, and then look at a stationary object or pattern, the stationary object appears to be moving in opposite direction to spiral.