People from different cultures process the world differently in various aspects. Their culture is of central importance since according to their perception, this shapes their subsequent interactions (Ostuka, 2016). Culture is what molds us to become relevant people in the given environment as it is clear that the environment shapes our outward behavior. Since culture is dynamic and constantly changing, our shared beliefs, way of thinking, and methods of interacting should be understood by those who besiege us. This essay is intended to explore the wide relationship between sensation and perception and how both are affected by cultural differences. It will also explain the concept of perception according to the Gestalt psychologists as well as the cultural differences that have arisen as a result of perception.
Sensation refers to the mental process that is triggered by external stimulation of sensory organs. There are sensory receptors that respond to a specific type of stimuli, and when the sensory information is detected by the sensory receptors, the sensation is said to have occurred. Sensation works principally based on the five common senses of a human being. Perception is the process by which the information by the sensory organs is organized and interpreted to give comprehension. It is evident that sensation leads to perception. The absolute threshold is the least amount of stimulation energy that must be available for the stimulation to be detected 50% of the time. Desensitization is the process of extinguishing an emotional response to a stimulus that formerly induced it. Signal detection theory is the framework that tries to explain the quantity of sensitivity induced during sensation and how it is applied in the real world.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
According to the Gestalt psychologists on perceptions, the things in the environment are seen as part of the whole since the mind can fill the missing information to create a clear picture of what is expected (Cherry, 2019). The mind responds directly to real objects as the integration of the signals used in navigation relay information to the sensory neurons faster. This led to the Gestalt psychologists forming the laws of perpetual grouping. The various laws include Law of Similarity, Law of Proximity, Law of Pragnanz, Law of Continuity, Law of Common Religion, Law of Closure, just to mention a few. These groups were based on the fact that there was a close relationship between problems people faced and mental ability to solve the problems.
An example of differences in perception is between men and women concerning jobs. Some cultures have different roles for women and men. Men are deemed to be superior to women and are entitled to hold senior positions in jobs. Men are supposed to take care of the family as women are required to be submissive to men at all times. In some cultures, there is no discrimination, as both females and males are equally treated. This shows that it depends on how each society perceives different genders. A person who grows up in a certain country is used to the customs and beliefs of the country and therefore, knows the culture very well. Such a person follows the culture without any difficult compared to a foreigner in the same country. During school games, an adult might perceive a group of teens standing alone as immoral due to their dressing code and the language they use.
Conclusively, it is evident that both sensation and perception have a close relationship as one leads to the other. Gestalt psychologists suggest that smaller groups in perceptual organizations can be grouped to form larger groups. Each society has its own cultures that vary greatly from each other, and therefore, there is a need for every society to appreciate the culture of others.
References
Cherry, K. (2019 April 14). Gestalt laws of perceptual organization. Verywell mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/gestalt-laws-of-perceptual-organization-2795835.
Ostuka, Y. (2016 July 22). Sensation and perception. International Journal of Psychology. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijop.12348.
