Briefly describe how visual information is processed differently in the dorsal vs. the ventral processing streams. Why are these differences proposed to occur? What differing aspects of visual information processing do they subserve?

The ventral or 'what' visual stream is important for processing information about the color, shape, and identity of a visual object - the features that allow us to decode what the object is. These aspects of the visual object are stable - that is they do not change depending on their location, orientation, or position in the room, etc. The ventral processing stream extends from the occipital lobe visual areas anterior to the temporal lobe. The dorsal or 'where' visual stream is important for processing information about the location of visual objects so that the visual system can guide actions towards those objects - such as the location, orientation, and exact position of a coffee cup on a table. This type of information is not stable - but changes each time the coffee cup has been repositioned. The dorsal processing stream extends from the occipital lobe visual areas anterior to the parietal lobe.