PSYC110, Week 2: How We Perceive the World Around Us

PSYC110, Week 2: How We Perceive the World Around Us
Instructions
In our reading this week, we learned about the processes of sensation and perception. Although they are two different
processes, one often impacts the other. Some individuals are unaware of how much they rely on vision or hearing in
their everyday lives, while others with vision or hearing impairments may rely more heavily on their other senses and
perceive the world differently than others.
Please choose Option 1 or Option 2 below to diminish your vision or hearing to become more conscious of the
relationship between sensation and perception.
Note: Please be very careful when performing these activities. We suggest doing them in a familiar environment, such as
your home, and having a companion present.
Option 1: Vision
Spend between 15 to 30 minutes "observing" without using your vision. Rely on your hearing, smell, touch, or taste (if
appropriate) to navigate your environment. During this time, try to perform several tasks that you usually do, such as
picking up an object, or if you are at home, try walking to the next room, all while not using your vision. To impair your
vision, you can close your eyes or wrap a scarf to cover your eyes.
Answer these questions in your own words in 4-5 sentences each.
1. What is the difference between perception and sensation?
Difference between perception and sensation: Sensation refers to the process of
detecting stimuli through sensory receptors such as the eyes, ears, skin,
nose, and tongue. It involves the initial detection and encoding of sensory
information by these receptors. Perception, on the other hand, involves
the interpretation, organization, and meaningful understanding of sensory
information. It integrates sensory input with past experiences, memories,
and expectations to form a coherent mental representation of the world
(Lovett, Spielman, & Jenkins, 2020, p. 138).
2. Explain using this experiment how sensation and perception relate to the brain.
 Experiment and the relationship between sensation and perception: During this experiment,
sensation occurred through senses like touch, hearing, and proprioception,
which provided raw sensory data about the environment. For example, I used
touch to feel objects and surfaces, hearing to detect spatial orientation cues,
and proprioception to sense body position and movement. Perception involved
my brain processing and interpreting this sensory input to navigate and
interact with my surroundings effectively. It integrated sensory information
with prior knowledge and memories to form a meaningful understanding of the
environment (Lovett et al., 2020, p. 141)