UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA (UiTM), SHAH ALAM

SEMESTER 4 SESI 2021

MARCH – JULY 2023

PSY 563 PSYCHOLOGY & INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

TITLE
FACTOR THAT INFLUENCE PERCEPTION

LECTURER’S NAME
SITI HUMAIRA BINTI RAMLI

PREPARED BY
MUHAMMAD ZIKKRU THAQIB BIN SALEHODDIN (2021878326)

CLASS
NADG4A-CAAD241
WHAT IS PERCEPTION?

PERCEPTION IS PROCESS BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZE AND INTERPRET THEIR

SENSORY IMPRESSIONS IN ORDER TO GIVE MEANING TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PERCEPTIONS

SELECTION ATTENTION
- FOCUS ON MAIN THING (USING SENSORY AND EXPERIENCE)

STIMULUS FEATURES

1. Visual Stimulus Features

In vision, stimulus features include attributes such as color, shape, size, motion, texture, and
brightness. These features are processed by specialized visual receptors in the eyes and further
analyzed by the visual processing areas in the brain.

2. Auditory Stimulus Features

In hearing, stimulus features include attributes such as pitch, loudness, timbre, rhythm, and spatial
location. These features are detected by the auditory receptors in the ears and processed by the
auditory processing centers in the brain.

3. Tactile Stimulus Features

In touch, stimulus features include attributes such as pressure, temperature, texture, vibration, and
pain. These features are detected by specialized receptors in the skin and processed by the
somatosensory areas in the brain.

4. Olfactory Stimulus Features

In smell, stimulus features include attributes such as odor quality, intensity, and familiarity. These
features are detected by specialized olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity and processed by the
olfactory processing centers in the brain.

5. Gustatory Stimulus Features

In taste, stimulus features include attributes such as taste quality (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami),
intensity, and hedonic value. These features are detected by taste buds on the tongue and processed
by the gustatory areas in the brain.
VALUES AND INDIVIDUALS NEED

1. Value in Perception
Value in perception refers to the subjective importance or significance that individuals assign to the
sensory information they perceive. It involves personal judgments and evaluations of the perceived
stimuli based on their relevance, desirability, or utility. For example, if someone values aesthetic
beauty, they may pay more attention to visually pleasing stimuli and derive greater enjoyment from
perceiving them. Similarly, if an individual values accuracy and precision, they may focus more on
detailed and accurate perceptual information.

2. Individual Needs in Perception

Individual needs can influence perception by directing attention and shaping the interpretation of
sensory information. Needs such as survival, safety, and belongingness can significantly impact how
individuals perceive and interpret the environment. For instance, if an individual is hungry, their
perceptual system may prioritize the detection and recognition of food-related stimuli. Similarly, the
need for safety might lead to heightened attention to potential threats or dangers in the
environment.

PAST EXPERIENCES

1. Perceptual Expectations
Past experiences create expectations about what we are likely to perceive in a given situation. These
expectations are based on our previous encounters with similar stimuli or situations. For example, if
you have always seen apples as red, your past experience creates an expectation that apples are red,
and you are more likely to perceive them as such. These perceptual expectations can shape our
attention, bias our interpretation of sensory information, and influence our overall perception.

2. Pattern Recognition
Our past experiences enable us to recognize and interpret patterns in sensory stimuli. We learn to
identify familiar objects, faces, and scenes based on our previous encounters with them. For
example, if you have seen cats before, you can quickly recognize a cat based on its characteristic
features. This ability to recognize patterns and stimuli is heavily influenced by our past experiences
and learning.

3. Sensory Adaptation
Through repeated exposure to certain stimuli, our sensory systems can adapt and become more
efficient at processing those stimuli. This phenomenon is known as sensory adaptation. For instance,
individuals who frequently listen to music can develop a heightened sensitivity to nuances in pitch,
rhythm, and melody. This adaptation is a result of their past experience and exposure to musical
stimuli.

4. Contextual Integration
Past experiences provide us with a contextual framework that helps us integrate and make sense of
incoming sensory information. Our memories and knowledge of the world enable us to interpret
sensory stimuli in the appropriate context. For example, if you hear a siren while driving, your past
experience and knowledge allow you to recognize it as an emergency vehicle approaching, and you
respond accordingly.

MOTIVATION
1. Selective Attention
Motivation determines what we prioritize and attend to in our environment. When we are motivated
by a particular goal or need, we tend to selectively focus our attention on stimuli that are relevant to
that goal. For example, if you are hungry and motivated to find food, you are more likely to notice
and pay attention to food-related cues in your surroundings, such as the aroma of cooking or signs
advertising restaurants. This selective attention can enhance our perception of goal-relevant stimuli
while filtering out distractions.

2. Perception Bias
Motivation can create perceptual biases, leading us to interpret sensory information in ways that
align with our motivations or expectations. These biases can influence how we perceive ambiguous
or ambiguous stimuli. For example, individuals who have a fear of spiders may be more likely to
perceive harmless objects as spiders due to their heightened motivation and fear response.

3. Emotional Influences

Motivation and emotional states are closely linked, and emotions can have a profound impact on
perception. Emotionally charged stimuli tend to capture our attention more readily and can be
processed more deeply. For instance, if you are motivated by the desire for social connection, you
are more likely to attend to and interpret facial expressions and social cues more accurately, as they
hold significant emotional value.

4. Perceptual Decision-Making

Motivation can influence how we make decisions based on perceptual information. Our motivations
and goals can bias our interpretation and judgments about the meaning or significance of sensory
input. For example, in a sports competition, athletes who are motivated to win may perceive their
opponents as more formidable or threatening, leading to a different decision-making process than if
they were motivated by other factors, such as personal improvement.
EMOTIONAL

1. Physiological Changes

Emotions can induce physiological changes in our bodies that, in turn, can impact our perception. For
example, when experiencing fear or excitement, our heart rate and arousal levels may increase,
altering our physiological state. These bodily changes can affect sensory processing and perception,
leading to heightened sensitivity or altered perception of stimuli.

2. Memory and Recall

Emotions can enhance memory encoding and influence our ability to recall past events or
experiences. Emotional events tend to be remembered more vividly and with greater detail
compared to neutral events. This emotional enhancement of memory can affect how we perceive
and remember specific events or stimuli, as well as influence subsequent perception and
interpretation.

3. Perceptual Interpretation

Emotions can influence how we interpret and assign meaning to sensory information. For instance, if
we are in a positive emotional state, we are more likely to interpret ambiguous stimuli in a positive
or favorable light. Conversely, negative emotions can lead to a more negative interpretation of the
same stimuli. Emotions provide a framework for evaluating and interpreting sensory input, shaping
our perceptual judgments and experiences.

4. Attentional Bias

Emotions can bias our attention, causing us to selectively attend to certain stimuli while ignoring or
downplaying others. For example, if we are feeling fear or anxiety, we may be more likely to notice
and focus on potential threats in our environment. Similarly, positive emotions like happiness may
direct our attention toward positive or rewarding stimuli. This attentional bias can impact what we
perceive and how we allocate our cognitive resources.