Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of PerceptionHow It WorksPerception ProcessInfluential FactorsImprovement TipsPotential PitfallsHistory of Perception

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Types of Perception

How It Works

Perception Process

Influential Factors

Improvement Tips

Potential Pitfalls

History of Perception

Close

Perception refers to our sensory experience of the world. It is the process of using our senses to become aware of objects, relationships, and events.It is through this experience that we gain information about the environment around us.

Perception relies on thecognitive functionswe use to process information, such as utilizing memory to recognize the face of a friend or detect a familiar scent. Through the perception process, we are able to both identify and respond to environmental stimuli.

Perception includes the five senses: touch, sight, sound,smell, andtaste. It also includes what is known asproprioception, which is a set of senses that enable us to detect changes in body position and movement.

How Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Distorts Your Perception

The different senses often separate the types of perception. These include visual, scent, touch, sound, and taste perception. We perceive our environment using each of these, often simultaneously.

There are also different types of perception in psychology, including:

Another type of perception isselective perception.This involvespaying attention to some parts of our environment while ignoring others.

The different types of perception allow us to experience our environment and interact with it in ways that are both appropriate and meaningful.

How Perception Works

Through perception, we become more aware of (and can respond to) our environment. We use perception incommunicationto identify how our loved ones may feel. We use perception in behavior to decide what we think about individuals and groups.

We perceive things continuously, even though we don’t typically spend a great deal of time thinking about them. For example, the light that falls on our eye’s retinas transforms into a visual image unconsciously and automatically. Subtle changes in pressure against our skin, allowing us to feel objects, also occur without a single thought.

Mindful MomentNeed a breather? Take this free9-minute meditation focused on awakening your senses—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

Mindful Moment

Need a breather? Take this free9-minute meditation focused on awakening your senses—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

To better understand how we become aware of and respond to stimuli in the world around us, it can be helpful to look at the perception process. This varies somewhat for every sense.

In regard to our sense of sight, the perception process looks like this:

Think of all the things you perceive on a daily basis. At any given moment, you might see familiar objects, feel a person’s touch against your skin, smell the aroma of a home-cooked meal, or hear the sound of music playing in your neighbor’s apartment. All of these help make up yourconscious experienceand allow you to interact with the people and objects around you.

Recap of the Perception ProcessEnvironmental stimulusAttended stimulusImage on the retinaTransductionNeural processingPerceptionRecognitionAction

Recap of the Perception Process

Environmental stimulusAttended stimulusImage on the retinaTransductionNeural processingPerceptionRecognitionAction

Factors Influencing Perception

What makes perception somewhat complex is thatwe don’t all perceive things the same way.One person may perceive a dog jumping on them as a threat, while another person may perceive this action as the pup just being excited to see them.

Conversely, our perceptions can also affect our personality.If you perceive that your boss is treating you unfairly, for example, you may show traits related to anger or frustration. If you perceive your spouse to be loving and caring, you may show similar traits in return.

Are Perception and Attitude the Same?While they are similar, perception and attitude are two different things. Perception is how we interpret the world around us, while ourattitudes(our emotions, beliefs, and behaviors) can impact these perceptions.

Are Perception and Attitude the Same?

While they are similar, perception and attitude are two different things. Perception is how we interpret the world around us, while ourattitudes(our emotions, beliefs, and behaviors) can impact these perceptions.

Why Do People Perceive Things So Differently?

Tips to Improve Perception

If you want to improve your perception skills, there are some things that you can do. Actions you can take that may help you perceive more in the world around you—or at least focus on the things that are important—include:

Potential Pitfalls of Perception

The perception process does not always go smoothly, and there are a number of things that may interfere with our ability to interpret and respond to our environment. One is having a disorder that impacts perception.

Certain factors can also negatively affect perception. For instance, one study found that when people viewed images of others, they perceived individuals with nasal deformities as having less satisfactory personality traits.So, factors such as this can potentially affect personality perception in others.

Interest in perception dates back to ancient Greek philosophers who were interested in how people know the world and gain understanding. Aspsychology emergedas a science separate from philosophy, researchers became interested in understanding how different aspects of perception worked—particularly the perception of color.

In addition to understanding basic physiological processes, psychologists were also interested in understanding how the mind interprets and organizes these perceptions.

Gestalt psychologistsproposed a holistic approach, suggesting that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.Cognitive psychologistshave also worked to understand how motivations and expectations can play a role in the process of perception.

As time progresses, researchers continue to investigate perception on the neural level. They also look at how injury, conditions, and substances might affect perception.

Bottom-Up Processing and Perception

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Perception.University of Minnesota.3.4 Perception.Organizational Behavior.Jhangiani R, Tarry H.5.4 Individual differences in person perception.Principles of Social Psychology - 1st International H5P Edition. Published online January 26, 2022.Aggarwal A, Nobi K, Mittal A, Rastogi S.Does personality affect the individual’s perceptions of organizational justice? The mediating role of organizational politics.Benchmark Int J. 2022;29(3):997-1026. doi:10.1108/BIJ-08-2020-0414Saylor Academy.Human relations: Perception’s effect.Human Relations.ICFAI Business School.Perception and attitude (ethics).Personal Effectiveness Management Course.King DJ, Hodgekins J, Chouinard PA, Chouinard VA, Sperandio I.A review of abnormalities in the perception of visual illusions in schizophrenia.Psychon Bull Rev. 2017;24(3):734‐751. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1168-5van Schijndel O, Tasman AJ, Listschel R.The nose influences visual and personality perception.Facial Plast Surg. 2015;31(05):439-445. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1565009Additional ReadingGoldstein E.Sensation and Perception. Thomson Wadsworth; 2010.Yantis S.Sensation and Perception. Worth Publishers; 2014.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Perception.University of Minnesota.3.4 Perception.Organizational Behavior.Jhangiani R, Tarry H.5.4 Individual differences in person perception.Principles of Social Psychology - 1st International H5P Edition. Published online January 26, 2022.Aggarwal A, Nobi K, Mittal A, Rastogi S.Does personality affect the individual’s perceptions of organizational justice? The mediating role of organizational politics.Benchmark Int J. 2022;29(3):997-1026. doi:10.1108/BIJ-08-2020-0414Saylor Academy.Human relations: Perception’s effect.Human Relations.ICFAI Business School.Perception and attitude (ethics).Personal Effectiveness Management Course.King DJ, Hodgekins J, Chouinard PA, Chouinard VA, Sperandio I.A review of abnormalities in the perception of visual illusions in schizophrenia.Psychon Bull Rev. 2017;24(3):734‐751. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1168-5van Schijndel O, Tasman AJ, Listschel R.The nose influences visual and personality perception.Facial Plast Surg. 2015;31(05):439-445. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1565009Additional ReadingGoldstein E.Sensation and Perception. Thomson Wadsworth; 2010.Yantis S.Sensation and Perception. Worth Publishers; 2014.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychological Association.Perception.University of Minnesota.3.4 Perception.Organizational Behavior.Jhangiani R, Tarry H.5.4 Individual differences in person perception.Principles of Social Psychology - 1st International H5P Edition. Published online January 26, 2022.Aggarwal A, Nobi K, Mittal A, Rastogi S.Does personality affect the individual’s perceptions of organizational justice? The mediating role of organizational politics.Benchmark Int J. 2022;29(3):997-1026. doi:10.1108/BIJ-08-2020-0414Saylor Academy.Human relations: Perception’s effect.Human Relations.ICFAI Business School.Perception and attitude (ethics).Personal Effectiveness Management Course.King DJ, Hodgekins J, Chouinard PA, Chouinard VA, Sperandio I.A review of abnormalities in the perception of visual illusions in schizophrenia.Psychon Bull Rev. 2017;24(3):734‐751. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1168-5van Schijndel O, Tasman AJ, Listschel R.The nose influences visual and personality perception.Facial Plast Surg. 2015;31(05):439-445. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1565009

American Psychological Association.Perception.

University of Minnesota.3.4 Perception.Organizational Behavior.

Jhangiani R, Tarry H.5.4 Individual differences in person perception.Principles of Social Psychology - 1st International H5P Edition. Published online January 26, 2022.

Aggarwal A, Nobi K, Mittal A, Rastogi S.Does personality affect the individual’s perceptions of organizational justice? The mediating role of organizational politics.Benchmark Int J. 2022;29(3):997-1026. doi:10.1108/BIJ-08-2020-0414

Saylor Academy.Human relations: Perception’s effect.Human Relations.

ICFAI Business School.Perception and attitude (ethics).Personal Effectiveness Management Course.

King DJ, Hodgekins J, Chouinard PA, Chouinard VA, Sperandio I.A review of abnormalities in the perception of visual illusions in schizophrenia.Psychon Bull Rev. 2017;24(3):734‐751. doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1168-5

van Schijndel O, Tasman AJ, Listschel R.The nose influences visual and personality perception.Facial Plast Surg. 2015;31(05):439-445. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1565009

Goldstein E.Sensation and Perception. Thomson Wadsworth; 2010.Yantis S.Sensation and Perception. Worth Publishers; 2014.

Goldstein E.Sensation and Perception. Thomson Wadsworth; 2010.

Yantis S.Sensation and Perception. Worth Publishers; 2014.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?