Final answer:
The question focuses on the visual cortex's optic-flow detectors that are specialized for perceiving optic flow, which is the pattern of motion in a visual scene. The dorsal stream within the cerebral cortex is particularly involved in processing such motion perception. The brain's visual system is adaptable, as evidenced by historic experiments, and it uses binocular depth cues to help interpret visual motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question 'Cortex with optic-flow detectors that respond best to contraction/expansion of whole scene _____' is likely referring to areas within the visual cortex that process movement perception, particularly optic flow, which pertains to the pattern of apparent motion of objects in a visual scene caused by the relative motion between the observer and the scene. In the cerebral cortex, specifically the dorsal stream, there are connections between cortical areas from the occipital to parietal lobes responsible for the perception of visual motion and guiding movement in relation to that motion. Researchers have discovered that the visual system, including the visual cortex, is flexible and can adapt to changes, such as in the case of the prism glasses experiment conducted in the 1960s. Moreover, this cortex utilizes binocular depth cues to perceive depth and motion, allowing for the correct interpretation of visual stimuli such as expansion or contraction of a scene.