CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN
COGNITION & NEUROSCIENCES/ConnexConnex

Visual cognition is often framed as an oculomotor problem, with saccadic eye movements playing a central role in the sampling of visual information. This perspective assumes a tight coupling between perceptual processing and oculomotor control. In this talk, I will present recent findings from individuals with congenital gaze paralysis, who compensate for the absence of eye movements through rapid head movements. I will first describe the characteristics of these compensatory movements, and then examine how they shape the sampling of visual information in perceptual and cognitive tasks. These findings challenge current assumptions about the mechanisms that prevent motion blur, as well as the view that the saccade–fixation pattern constitutes the optimal strategy in vision.

This seminar will not be disseminated online.