What is defined as a particular region of the visual space?

The correct answer pertains to the term "receptive field." This concept refers specifically to a region in the visual field (or other sensory modalities) where a stimulus will trigger the firing of a particular sensory neuron. In the context of vision, receptive fields are associated with the individual neurons in the retina, ganglion cells, or other visual processing areas that respond to specific aspects of visual stimuli, such as light intensity or orientation.

Understanding receptive fields is crucial for comprehending how visual information is processed in the brain, as they help determine how different areas of the visual landscape are perceived and interpreted. Each neuron responds to stimuli presented within its receptive field, thereby contributing to the overall perception of the visual space.

The other concepts mentioned, while related to the broader topic of vision and perception, refer to different aspects of visual processing. The visual field describes the entire area that can be seen when looking straight ahead, not linked to specific neuronal responses. The visual cortex is the area in the brain responsible for processing visual information but does not refer to a specific region within the visual space itself. The perceptual field generally encompasses how we may interpret or perceive our visual environment, which is broader and not limited to specific neural responses.