Analysis of Visual Behavior

Analysis of Visual Behavior encompasses both theoretical and experimental research. It deals with the visual mechanisms of diverse vertebrate species from salamanders and toads to primates and humans and presents a stimulating interaction of the disciplines of anatomy, physiology, and behavioral science. Throughout, visual mechanisms are investigated from the point of view of the brain functioning at the organismic level, as opposed to the now more prevalent focus on the molecular and cellular levels. This approach allows researchers to deal with the patterns of visually guided behavior of animals in real-life situations.

The twenty-six contributions in the book are divided among three sections: Indentification and Localization Processes in Nonmammalian Vertebrates, introduced by David J. Ingle; Visual Guidance of Motor Patterns: The Role of Visual Cortex and the Superior Colliculus, introduced by Melvyn A. Goodale; and Recognition and Transfer Processes, introduced by Richard J. W. Mansfield.

The editors are all university researchers in psychology: David J. Ingle at Brandeis, Melvyn A. Goodale at the University of Western Ontario, and Richard J. W. Mansfield at Harvard.