Perception refers to the cognitive process by which individuals interpret and make sense of sensory information from their environment.
Perception is influenced by several key factors:
1. Motivation: Motivation always plays a significant role in various psychological processes, including perception. You must have observed that when you feel hungry, the smell of the food catches your attention more easily than when you are full. Hunger or specific needs can influence perception. Hungry individuals are conscious of food-related stimuli, like smell and look. Studies by Stanford (1936) and Changizi and Hall (2001) have shown the impact of hunger and thirst on perception.
For example, If you’re highly motivated to perform well in an upcoming exam, you may be more attentive to study materials and listen to the classes by ignoring all other distractions.
2. Expectation or Perceptual Expectancy: Expectations or predispositions can shape perception. Participants in experiments by Bruner & Minturn (1955) perceived ambiguous figures differently based on their expectations.
Example: Our readiness or predisposition to perceive things in a particular way is influenced by expectation. In an experiment by Bruner & Minturn, the same ambiguous figure was perceived as either “13” or “B” based on participants’ expectations, depending on whether it was presented in a numerical or alphabetical context.
3. Emotions: Emotions can influence our perception. Our emotions may influence how we perceive situations or individuals. Studies by Dodd, Vogt, and Turkileri have shown the impact of emotions on perception and performance.
For example:- If you’re a big fan of an IPL team, and during a match, the umpire makes a decision against your team, you might see the umpire as biased. This happens because you believe your team can do no wrong, and your emotions can make you see the situation differently. Emotions don’t always cloud your judgment; sometimes, they can also help. Studies have shown that emotions can affect how we perceive things, both positively and negatively.
4. Stimulus Characteristics: Characteristics of stimuli also influence the perception. Especially sensory qualities like sound, taste, and appearance grab attention more effectively. For instance, loud and distinctive truck horns are designed to capture attention.
5. Experience: Prior experiences also have a significant role in shaping perception. Previous exposure to certain stimuli influences how we interpret new stimuli.
For example, past experiences can lead to mistaking a rope for a snake in the dark.
6. Culture: Cultural backgrounds and norms also have a significant role in the interpretation of stimuli. Culture provides guidelines and rules for understanding behaviours and emotions. Cultural scripts influence how positive and negative stimuli are interpreted. For instance, hand gestures may have different meanings in various cultures, illustrating how cultural factors shape perception.
These factors collectively illustrate the complexity of perception and how various elements, including motivation, expectation, emotions, stimulus characteristics, experience, and culture, can significantly impact how individuals perceive and interpret the world around them.