Final answer:
Receptive fields are regions in space where sensory receptors can respond to stimuli, and they contribute to object perception by helping the brain interpret sensory information and differentiate between objects and shapes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Receptive fields are the regions in space where sensory receptors can respond to a stimulus. They play a crucial role in object perception because they determine how sensory information is interpreted. For example, in the sense of touch, a stimulus must come into contact with the body to be perceived, while in vision, a stimulus can be very far away. Receptive fields help the brain organize sensory information and differentiate between different objects and shapes.