San Jacinto College 2

Sensation: Refers to the process of converting sensory input into neural impulses that the brain can understand. It involves sensory neurons that relay information regarding the external environment.
Perception: Involves interpreting and making sense of the sensory information received. It is how we organize and experience these stimuli to create meaning.

Top Down Processing: When our brain interprets sensory information based on prior knowledge, experiences, or expectations.
- Example: Hearing "The Rock" and immediately thinking of Dwayne Johnson or remembering his roles in movies such as Jumanji or WWE. This involves existing memories and associations with the stimulus.
Bottom Up Processing: When perception starts with sensory input, leading to the recognition of an object or concept without any prior knowledge or context.
- Example: Bumping into a table leads to a bruise, where the sensation occurred and was processed without interpreting based on previous experiences.

Humans continuously intake multiple stimuli at a time but process only the most relevant information.
Transduction: The process through which our sensory receptors convert stimuli (e.g., light, sound) into electrical signals that the brain can interpret.
- Example: Auditory stimuli travel through ear canals to the cochlea, where they are converted into electrical signals to be processed by the brain.

Refers to the minimum difference in stimulation that a person can detect 50% of the time. It demonstrates how changes in the environment are recognized based on sensory input.
- Example: Noticing differences in haircuts depends on the amount of length removed. Sometimes subtle changes go unnoticed until they are significant enough to register.

Subliminal messages are stimuli presented below the threshold of conscious perception.
- Seen in advertising (e.g., Coca-Cola's use of hidden messages in ads).
- Common in media designed for children, where adult humor is sometimes hidden in children's programming.

Movie Experiences: Brightness levels in a dark theater make certain actions, like someone pulling out a phone, more noticeable.
Color Recall from Walking: Often, people do not recall the color of the stairs they walked up compared to the action they were performing. This indicates that not all sensory input is actively registered by our consciousness.

The brain plays an essential role in filtering sensory input, allowing individuals to focus on significant stimuli while disregarding irrelevant information. Understanding the concepts of sensation and perception can enhance comprehension of human behavior and cognition.