Vision Research: A Practical Guide to Laboratory Methods

by Roger H.S. Carpenter, J.G. Robson

Vision research is one of the largest and most active areas of brain research. Psychologists, neuroscientists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, computer scientists, and engineers all have an interest in the practical side of the subject. A Practical Guide to Vision Research is a clear and comprehensive laboratory manual providing the detailed information necessary to begin vision research. Spanning the full range of disciplines, this book provides protocols and practical advice on key experimental techniques, along with useful background information. It covers the choice and use of modern light sources and optical components, with particular consideration of how to generate specific colors, and describes the creation and presentation of images, with an emphasis on current computer techniques. It also discusses the design of psychological experiments. Finally, it provides a thorough coverage of all types of physiological measurement, including ERG and evoked potentials, accommodation, eye movements, and pupil diameter. It presents the "tricks of the trade" in vision research, from some of its leading practitioners, of a kind that cannot be found in published papers and are often only acquired through direct experience. Accessible to beginning researchers with little background in optics and electronics, the book is an essential tool for students and a valuable resource for experienced researchers new to the field.

340 pages, Hardcover

First published February 18, 1999