Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Perceptions refer to an individual's interpretation or understanding of sensory information obtained from their environment through senses such as sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and proprioception (awareness of body position).
The process by which sensory receptors detect and respond to external stimuli (such as light, sound waves, or pressure) and transmit that information to the brain.
The ability to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others. It helps filter out irrelevant information in order to concentrate on relevant details.
A set of principles describing how we organize sensory information into meaningful wholes or patterns, emphasizing the idea that 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.'