About this Course

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Learners will be introduced to the problems that vision faces, using perception as a guide. The course will consider how what we see is generated by the visual system, what the central problem for vision is, and what visual perception indicates about how the brain works. The evidence will be drawn from neuroscience, psychology, the history of vision science and what philosophy has contributed. Although the discussions will be informed by visual system anatomy and physiology, the focus is on perception. We see the physical world in a strange way, and goal is to understand why.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.64/5 (28 Ratings)

Dale Purves

M.D.

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

89,325 Learners

2 Courses

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(3,276 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Background

4 hours to complete

20 videos (Total 131 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

20 videos

Course Introduction5mBackground: What We Actually See3mThe Strange Way We See the Physical World (part 1)8mThe Strange Way We See the Physical World (part 2)7mThe Inverse Problem7mSummary of Topic One2mVisual Stimuli4mMaking an Image5mSummary of Topic Two1mThe Eye (part 1)10mThe Eye (part 2)4mThe Retina (part 1)7mThe Retina (Part 2)12mThe Primary Visual Pathway (part 1)10mThe Primary Visual Pathway (part 2)8mThe Visual Cortex (part 1)12mThe Visual Cortex (part 2)11mThe Concept of Receptive Fields4mSummary of Topic Three2mSummary of Module One1m

2 readings

About the Course10mGrading Policy10m

2 practice exercises

Module1, Topic 130mModule 1, Topics 2-330m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Seeing Lightness, Darkness and Color

3 hours to complete

17 videos (Total 116 min)

17 videos

Definitions4mDiscrepancies between Luminance and Lightness12mMore Complex Examples as Counter Evidence8mAn Empirical Explanation Based on Accumulated Experience (part 1)7mAn Empirical Explanation Based on Accumulated Experience (part 2)9mSummary of Topic One2mDefinitions2mLight and Color8mHow the Retina Initiates Color Vision (part 1)9mHow the Retina Initiates Color Vision (part 2)7mWhy Do We Have Color Vision?3mDescribing Color Perception12mThe Strange Way We See Color10mAn Empirical Answer (part 1)7mAn Empirical Answer (part 2)4mTopic Summary3mModule Summary24s

2 practice exercises

Module 2, Topic 130mModule 2, Topic 230m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Seeing Space

3 hours to complete

19 videos (Total 129 min)

19 videos

Geometrical “Illusions”13mThe Inverse Problem in Geometry3mSeeing the Length of Lines5mAn Empirical Explanation of Apparent Line Length (part 1)9mAn Empirical Explanation of Apparent Line Length (part 2)5mThe Perception of Angles5mAn Empirical Explanation8mSeeing Object Size6mAn Empirical Explanation10mTopic Summary2mDefinitions1mSeeing Distance with One Eye12mSeeing Depth with Two Eyes (Stereopsis, part 1)7mSeeing Depth with Two Eyes (Stereopsis, part 2)5mExplaining Stereopsis8mRandom Dot Stereograms and the Correspondence Problem7mBinocular Fusion (part 1)6mBinocular Fusion (part 2)7mTopic Summary1m

2 practice exercises

Module 3, Topic 130mModule 3, Topic 230m

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Seeing Motion

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 55 min)

Reviews

4.6

67 reviews

5 stars
75.40%
4 stars
17.21%
3 stars
4.50%
2 stars
1.63%
1 star
1.22%

TOP REVIEWS FROM VISUAL PERCEPTION AND THE BRAIN

by JTNov 15, 2017

Excellent course. Did a lot to change my views of perception and reality.

by JSApr 4, 2021

Great course for all, easy to understand with bite-sized videos.

by DAAug 22, 2022

Very interesting course in how brain "sees" the world.

by JBApr 3, 2017

Very interesting MOOC. The instructor is very knowledgeable in the area and uses interesting examples to explain the content.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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Visual Perception and the Brain

Visual Perception and the Brain

About this Course