Perception - Introduction

Perception is the selection and organisation of material which stems from the outside environment at some time or the other to provide meaning to what we experience. The two basic elements in this definition are:

Elements

• Perception is a process of selection or screening.
• The information should be classified in some logical manner.

The individual tends to recognise information, assemble it as well as compare it with earlier experiences. This involves the entire history of events across his life span. The organization of inputs through a dynamic inner process shapes what comes in from the outside environment.

Perception is a highly complex process, which involves a complicated interaction of selection, organisation, and interpretation. Despite the fact that it relies upon senses for obtaining raw data, the process tends to amalgamate, improve and change these data because of the complexity of interaction. It adds as well as deducts from the sensory world.

Definitions

"The psychological processes that allow an individual to adjust his behaviour is called perception.

"Perception is a cognitive process which selects, organises and interprets the stimuli."

"It is a cognitive proces by which people attend to incoming stimuli, organise and interpret such stimuli into behaviour."