Receptive fields

A receptive field is the spatial area to which a particular receptor is responsive. Receptors such as those in the eye (photoreceptors) or those in the skin (pain or touch) possess such regions of sensitivity. These fields can vary in size and may or may not overlap with neighboring receptive fields. Additionally, the information from a receptive field can, in some circumstances, converge with that from others, enhancing sensitivity to a stimulus, but reducing the ability to spatially locate that stimulus.