ABSTRACT
This chapter overviews the basics of visual and vestibular sensory and perceptual processes because that they have special relevance to aviation. It outlines some of the overarching theories of visual perception and by discussing how what the authors consciously perceive is largely dependent on attention. The chapter reviews some of the basic physiological and perceptual components of vision and the vestibular systems. Two terms are important to clarify as the chapter introduces these theories: bottom-up perception influences and top-down perception influences. Bottom-up perception influences refer to stimulus information that activates the sensory neurons and travels through the system 'up' to the brain, where it ultimately leads to the conscious awareness of the stimulus. Top-down perception influences refer to the alterations in perception caused by memories, expectations, and so on that already exist in the brain. The chapter discusses two of these neuron layers: the photoreceptor layer and the ganglion cell layer.
