Cognitive neuroscience of visual object recognition

Object recognition is the ability to perceive an object's physical properties (such as shape, colour and texture) and apply semantic attributes to it (such as identifying the object as an apple). This process includes the understanding of its use, previous experience with the object, and how it relates to others. Regardless of an object's position or illumination, humans possess the ability to effectively identify and label an object. Humans are one of the few species that possess the ability of invariant visual object recognition. Both 'front end' (knowledge/goal driven) and 'back end' (sensory driven) processing are required for a species to be able to recognize objects at varying distances, angles, lighting, etc.... Object recognition is the ability to perceive an object's physical properties (such as shape, colour and texture) and apply semantic attributes to it (such as identifying the object as an apple). This process includes the understanding of its use, previous experience with the object, and how it relates to others. Regardless of an object's position or illumination, humans possess the ability to effectively identify and label an object. Humans are one of the few species that possess the ability of invariant visual object recognition. Both 'front end' (knowledge/goal driven) and 'back end' (sensory driven) processing are required for a species to be able to recognize objects at varying distances, angles, lighting, etc.... One model of object recognition, based on neuropsychological evidence, provides information that allows us to divide the process into four different stages.