Introduction
Purpose
Neural plasticity as concept describes the process through which the brain adapts itself and rewires to the environment. Such a process is manifested in both the physical and chemical nature.
Against traditional psychologists who previously opined that the brain is developed fully in the infancy period, the contemporary psychologists have demonstrated that the brain is an organ that has actively altered the older neurons for new ones with the changing environment for adaptation while learning new information and creating new memories (Simons and Chabris, 1999).
The environment in which the brain is related is its nature, and is largely defined by what the brain gets exposed to. Thus, this research proposal attempts to explicitly establish the significance of neural plasticity on visual perception.
The independent variable is perception while the dependent variables are neural plasticity and personality. The study will adopt direct participation and secondary approaches.
Motivation
The level at which the brain gets adaptable to the environment is dependent on the critical periods on which it is susceptible as it develops its basic network. In its neural plasticity, the brain develops ability to adapt to changes in environment as stimulated by nerves which connect it to the external environment to images.
As a process, neural plasticity entails three major brain mechanisms; anatomical, metabolic and neuron chemical process. This process is useful in strengthening the existing connections to visual images. It is thus necessary to explore the relationship between neural plasticity and perception of visual images.
Previous research
In attempting to orientate the arguments in this paper to practicality of neural plasticity, the paper highlights experiments in which neural plasticity has been evidenced. The first of such examples was performed on rats.
The experiment demonstrated that postnatal or prenatal stress on specimen produced a range of variations in the levels of neurotransmissions in the brain. Such levels were observed on the catecholamine, serotonin and the opiate.
When a similar experiment was performed on pregnant rhesus monkeys, the ones that were pre-exposed stress delivered offspring with permanent neurological changes.
Subsequent reports revealed permanence in the control and memory states that appeared impaired. Similarly, same survey conducted with pregnant women, suggested noticeable effects on the circumference of their babies’ heads.
Methodology
This research will use secondary data since a lot of research has been carried out on the dependent and independent variables. The observers will be requested to randomly pick images from the research materials and offer a brief description in terms of color, texture and size.
The participants will be expected to answer the questions in the shortest time possible after observing ten images. The relationship between the dependent and independent variables will demonstrate the process of neural plasticity by aligning the discussion to development of image perception.
Besides, the variables will also be tested for their relationship to repetitive occurrences and constant change of images with different themes. The relationship that might exist between the dependent and independent variables is that perception is directly dependent on neural plasticity.
Possible Findings
The social influence takes course with the rationality to identify and classify visual images. This is dependent on neural plasticity and the personality of a person.
Research implications
This study is necessary to establish the correlation between the actual images and visual perception in the external environment. The findings of this study will seal the research gap which currently functions only on the influences of the external environment on perception.
Psychologists might use the results of this study to learn the neural plasticity and its relationship to visual interpretation of images.
Reference
Simons, D., & Chabris, C. (1999). Gorillas in our midst: sustained in-attentional blindness for dynamic events. Perception Journal, 28(1), 1059-1074