Final answer:
When actively looking at something, the visual cortex is activated. This area is specifically responsible for processing visual information and is part of the cerebral cortex's specialized regions each dedicated to a particular sense.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you are actively looking at something, cortical regions in your visual cortex are activated. The visual cortex is known as Area 17, as described by Brodmann, and is responsible for processing visual information. Our experiences of sensory modalities are deeply integrated so that we perceive the world as a unified whole. However, each sense is processed in specialized areas of the brain; the visual cortex is specifically engaged when we are seeing, the auditory cortex when we are hearing, the motor cortex when we are moving, and the somatosensory cortex when we are feeling physical sensations.