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Active Process

Definition

Perception as an active process refers to the idea that our perception of the world is not simply a passive reception of information, but rather an active and dynamic process that involves selecting, interpreting, and making inferences about the sensory inputs we receive.

Analogy

Imagine you are at a buffet with various types of food. Instead of just mindlessly putting everything on your plate, you actively select the items you want based on what looks appealing or what you're craving. Similarly, our brain actively selects and interprets sensory information based on our interests, past experiences, and expectations.

Related terms

Selective Attention: The ability to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others. For example, when studying with music playing in the background, selective attention allows us to concentrate on our work while filtering out the distractions from the music.

Top-Down Processing: The use of prior knowledge and expectations to interpret incoming sensory information. It's like wearing tinted glasses that influence how we perceive colors – our prior knowledge shapes how we interpret new information.

Inference: Drawing conclusions or making educated guesses based on available evidence or incomplete information. It's like solving a puzzle by filling in missing pieces using logical reasoning and past experiences.