Final answer:
The occipital lobe, located at the back of the head, is responsible for processing visual information from the visual fields and contains the primary visual cortex. It is distinct from the other lobes of the brain, which serve different functions such as reasoning, somatosensation, and auditory processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The portion of the cerebral cortex that lies at the back of the head and is responsible for processing information from the visual fields is known as the occipital lobe. This lobe contains the primary visual cortex, crucial for interpreting incoming visual data. The occipital lobe is organized retinotopically, which means there is a direct correspondence between regions of the retina and specific nerve cells within the occipital lobe that process visual information.
The lobes of the brain include the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Each lobe has specific functions; for instance, the frontal lobe is involved in reasoning and motor control, the parietal lobe in somatosensation and proprioception, and the temporal lobe in auditory processing and memory formation. However, the occipital lobe is dedicated almost solely to the function of vision, distinguishing it as the primary region for seeing, recognizing, and identifying the visual world.