Chapter 2:
Sensation and
Perception
2.1. Sensation
Definition
Is the process of detecting and
encoding stimulus energy in the world.
(santrock,2000)
Is the stimulus detection process by
which our sense organs respond to and
translate environmental stimuli in to
nerve impulses that are sent to the
brain(Passer and Smith,2004)
Sensory Receptors
Receptor cells (accessory structures) in
Transduction
It is a process of converting incoming
energy into neural activity. Just as a
radio receives energy and changes it in
to sounds, the ears receives sound
energy and convert it into neural
activity that people recognize as
voices, music and other auditory
experiences.
Concepts ( Laws) in
Sensation
A. Sensory
Threshold( Absolute)
The lowest intensity at which a
stimulus can be detected 50
percent of the time.
The level of sensitivity below
which detection of a stimulus is
less likely.
The weakest detectable stimulus
Detection of a stimulus depends not
only on the intensity of a stimulus but
also such psychological factors like
response bias.
Response bias is the readiness of a
person to detect and report the
presence of a particular stimulus.
Ex: You are more likely to detect a sound
in a dangerous neighborhood walking at
night than a neighborhood which you
think is safe.
Difference Threshold
The minimum amount of change
that can be detected
The minimum change in stimulation
Ex. A cup of coffee would require a
certain amount of sugar before one
could sense an increase in sweetness
B. Sensory Adaptation
( Habituation)
A process through which
responsiveness to an unchanging
stimulus decreases overtime.
A gradual decrease in the sensitivity of
the sense organs to a constant or
Prolonged stimulation.
Is an automatic built-in process that
make people focus on changes than
constants and the obvious.
2.2. Perception
Isthe process through which sensations
are interpreted using knowledge and
understanding of the world so that they
become meaningful experiences.
Isthe process of making meaning out of
sensation.
The moment we sense, we automatically
perceive
Hearing sounds and seeing are
largely sensory processes but
forming a melody is a perceptual
Basic Features of Perception
1. Perception is the creation of
experience.
Sensory systems provide raw materials
from the environment, and we form
experiences out of it.
2. Perception is selective
Perception usually occurs in selective
attention. Our surrounding holds a lot of
information that seek our attention.
Unless we are able to filter out these
information and focus on those which
Our field of experience is divided into
what is known as ―Focus‖ and
―Margin.
Focus
refers to the part of the perceptual
field that is given the most attention.
It is the central point of our attention
and awareness at any given moment.
When something is in focus, we
perceive it in greater detail and clarity.
Ex: while talking to a friend in a busy
café, the
Margin
refers to the part of the perceptual
field that lies outside the focus of
attention.
It includes all the surrounding stimuli
that we are not consciously paying
attention to, but which still influence
our perception in a more peripheral
way.
Ex: The people’s voice in the background
External Factors that Affect Attention
1. Intensity( size)
Intensity or magnitude refers to the degree
or the force with which a stimulus is
presented.
Stimuli that occur in high intensity capture
our attention.
2. Novelty
A novel stimulus (a stimulus that is different
or unusual) attracts people attention than an
ordinary stimulus. If you are walking on a
street, you would be more fascinated by a
new model car ( a hammer, for example)
passing by than a Volkswagen.
3. Movement
Stimuli that make movement
grab our attention much more than
a stable, stationary and non
moving stimuli
4. Repetition
Repetition of a stimulus involves
the frequency of a stimulus.
Whether or not we are attracted to
a stimulus is also determined by
the number of times the stimulus
5. Contrast (colour)
Stimuli that are different in
colour attract our attention.
When a stimulus deviates in its
appearance from other
surrounding stimuli, it captures
our attention.
Internal( Psychological )
Factors that affect Attention
1. Set or Expectancy
refers to mental readiness to
receive certain kinds of sensory
input
EX: A husband expecting an
important phone call is more likely
to hear phone calls than a wife who
is concerned about her baby crying.
2. Motives or Needs
People are more likely to be attracted
to environmental experiences
( events) in which they are interested
3. Perception has organization
and
structure
Everything we perceive has its own
structure and form. To make sense
out of what we perceive, we must
know where one thing begins and
another ends
This process of dividing up the world
occurs effortlessly (naturally) and
makes our perception more
meaningful ( Form Perception)
Principles (Laws) of
perceptual organization
The brain uses structures in
order to give pattern, shape
and form to our visual
perception.
It is based on these
principles that perceptual
organization becomes
possible.
1. The figure ground Principle
This is a principle by which we
organize the perceptual field
in to stimuli that stand out
(the figure) and those that are
left over ( the ground).
This principle states that
certain aspects of our visual
world become figure and
others ground.
o The figure
Has its own shape and substance
Takes up a space
Stands out as compared with the
ground
The thing being looked at
o The ground
Has no shape and does not take up
space
Refers to the surrounding space
The background against the figure
stands
This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-SA
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY
2. The principle of Closure
This is a principle that states the brain
tends to fill in gaps in order to
perceive complete forms.
People need to decipher less than
perfect images to make perceptions.
To help us do so, the brain tends to
finish what is unfinished, complete
what is incomplete.
A tendency to group elements to
create a sense of completeness.
3. The principle of Proximity
The principle of proximity is another
principle of giving form to visual
perception.
This principle states that things that
are near each other tend to be
grouped together. The closer objects
or events are to one another, the
more likely they are to be perceived
as belonging together.
4. The principle of Similarity
The principle of similarity states that
things that are alike in some way
(for example, in colour, shape or
size) tend to be perceived as
belonging together.
4. Perception is Constant under Changing
Sensory Information
Perception does not change when sensory
information about stimuli changes.
Our perceptual hypothesis remains the same
when information we receive about stimuli
through the visual sense organ change in
colour, size or shape.
Categories of Perceptual Constancy
1. Size Constancy
refers to the perception that the size of
objects remains constant even though visual
information change with variations in
distance.
2. Shape Constancy
states that we continue to perceive objects as
having a constant shape even though the shape
of the retinal image changes when our point of
view changes.
Viewing angle or position superficially changes
the shape of an object
3. Colour (Brightness) Constancy
This principle states that the colour or brightness
of an object remains the same even though the
amount of light reflected on the objects change.
Sometimes objects may take different colour or
brightness because of variations in light reflected
on them.
4. Location Constancy
Location constancy states that the
location or position of stationary
objects is always the same even when
our eyes tell us it is moving.
We perceive stationary objects as
remaining in the same place even
though the retinal image moves about
as we move our eyes, heads, and
bodies.