David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel Received a Nobel Prize in 1981

question 199

Essay

David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel received a Nobel Prize in 1981 for the painstaking work they had done recording impulses from individual cells in the brains of cats and monkeys.Describe in detail what was learned about the visual system as a result of their work.

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Definitions:

Unconditioned Response

An automatic reaction to a stimulus that occurs naturally without any prior learning.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior, which increases or decreases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated, as conceptualized by B.F. Skinner.

Reinforcer

A reinforcer is any stimulus that strengthens or increases the probability of a specific response or behavior by providing a desirable consequence or outcome.

Punisher

An unfavorable consequence or penalty intended to reduce the occurrence of an unwanted behavior.