Perception

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In philosophy, psychology, and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information. It is a task far more complex than was imagined in the 1950s and 1960s, when it was predicted that building perceiving machines would take about a decade, a goal which is still very far from fruition. The word comes from the Latin words perceptio, percipio, and means "receiving, collecting, action of taking possession, apprehension with the mind or senses."

Perception is one of the oldest fields in psychology. The oldest quantitative law in psychology is the Weber-Fechner law, which quantifies the relationship between the intensity of physical stimuli and their perceptual effects. The study of perception gave rise to the Gestalt school of psychology, with its emphasis on holistic approach.

What one perceives is a result of interplays between past experiences, including one’s culture, and the interpretation of the perceived. If the percept does not have support in any of these perceptual bases it is unlikely to rise above perceptual threshold.

For more information about Perception, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with perception

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Hammerhead shark

Wide heads give hammerheads exceptional stereo view

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 27, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (8) | comments 4

Hammerhead sharks are some of the Ocean's most distinctive residents. 'Everyone wants to understand why they have this strange head shape,' says Michelle McComb from Florida Atlantic University. One possible ...


'Too fat to be a princess?' Study shows young girls worry about body image

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Nov 24, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 2

Even before they start school, many young girls worry that they are fat. But a new study suggests watching a movie starring a stereotypically thin and beautiful princess may not increase children's anxieties.


Report Says Musicians Hear Better Than Non-Musicians

Report Says Musicians Hear Better Than Non-Musicians

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Journal of Neuroscience reports this week that musicians are better than non-musicians at recognizing speech in noisy environments.  The finding from a study conducted by neurobiologists at Nor ...


Dartmouth professor finds that iconic Oswald photo was not faked

Professor finds that iconic Oswald photo was not faked (w/ Video)

Technology / Computer Sciences

created Nov 05, 2009 | popularity 3.9 / 5 (10) | comments 72

(PhysOrg.com) -- Dartmouth Computer Scientist Hany Farid has new evidence regarding a photograph of accused John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Farid, a pioneer in the field of digital forensics, digitally ...


Study looks at scientific, cultural perspectives on race

Biology / Other

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (3) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study compares personal perceptions of race, color and ancestry of Brazilian high school students with the results of genetic ancestry tests, with the aim of investigating the tensions between cultural ...


Study: Nonprofits put brand at risk in corporate partnerships

Other Sciences / Economics

created Nov 13, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (3) | comments 2

Charities and other nonprofits may put their brand at risk when they partner with corporations on social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The public can easily construe such connections as a seal of approval of the corporation ...


Digital divide: Psychologists suggest ways to include the aging population in the tech revolution

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Nov 04, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Technology is no longer what it used to be: Computers have replaced typewriters and landlines are in rapid decline. Technological advances are being made every day, making many of our lives easier and allowing information ...


A vast right arm conspiracy? Study suggests handedness may effect body perception

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Nov 04, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

There are areas in the brain devoted to our arms, legs, and various parts of our bodies. The way these areas are distributed throughout the brain are known as "body maps" and there are some significant differences in these ...


Highest jobless rate in three decades causes drop in consumer confidence

Other Sciences / Economics

created Nov 24, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Florida's consumer confidence fell three points to 69 in November amid continued concerns over the state?s high unemployment rate, according to a new University of Florida survey.


Discussing adverse events with patients improves how they rate their hospital care

Medicine & Health / Other

created Nov 10, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

A survey of patients had who experienced some sort of adverse event during their hospitalization found that, although caregivers discussed the event with patients less than half the time, those patients to whom the adverse ...


RIT scholars explore the impact of imaging on our reality

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

created Nov 09, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Imaging is the use of machines to enhance humans' ability to perceive things, often by producing visible phenomena that cannot be seen with the naked eye. But, can imaging technology distort reality and even change what humans ...