Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Passive receipt of information refers to the idea that perception is a simple process where individuals passively receive sensory input without any active involvement in selecting, inferring, or interpreting the information.
Related terms
Active Processing: Active processing involves the selection, inference, and interpretation of sensory information during perception.
Constructivist Approach: The constructivist approach suggests that individuals actively construct their understanding of reality based on their experiences and interactions with the world.
Top-Down Processing: Top-down processing is when an individual's prior knowledge and expectations shape their interpretation and understanding of incoming sensory information.