The Perception Process

Overview

• The perception process involves taking in stimuli and applying meaning to it.
• It encompasses attending, selecting, organizing, and interpreting information.
• Occurs both consciously and subconsciously.

Conscious vs Subconscious Processing

• Subconscious Processing (Automatic Processing):
  • Happens without active attention (e.g., ignoring background sounds like trains if accustomed).
• Conscious Processing:
  • Requires active attention and awareness (e.g., noticing a train sound for the first time).

Attention and Selection

• We pay attention to stimuli based on:
  • Need: Importance of information to us.
  • Interest: Personal interest in the stimulus.
  • Expectations: Surprise or deviation from the expected experience.
• Our brain selects and attends to stimuli both consciously and subconsciously to manage information overload.

Organization and Interpretation

• Organization:
  • Simplifies and identifies patterns in stimuli.
  • Helps in quickly categorizing information (e.g., grouping people as students based on appearance).
• Interpretation:
  • Based on organization and past experiences.
  • Helps understand and give meaning to stimuli.

Role of Past Experiences

• Past experiences act like a filing cabinet, aiding in the quick categorization and interpretation of stimuli.
• New experiences are processed more slowly due to lack of prior context (e.g., a newborn baby getting overwhelmed by stimuli).

Conclusion

• Understanding the perception process helps in comprehending how we interact with and interpret the world around us efficiently.