Abstract
The standard formulation of the normalization operation comprises two canonical neural computations, exponentiation and division; a counter-balancing of two forces. Exponentiation favors the strong. Larger responses grow even larger than smaller ones. In the extreme, exponentiation is a winner-take-all computation. Division by the pooled responses of a neural population brings run-away responses back down to an operable range. Division normalizes to the average population activity responses that have grown large through exponentiation. Such simple operations have surprisingly many applications across sensory and cognitive systems of the brain. Here, I will focus on how these operations can facilitate selection of sensory signals for prioritized processing, and thereby explain perceptual benefits of spatial attention.
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