The physiological basis of perception in psychology

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Perception is a synonym for the Latin term "perception". It literally means sensory knowledge of the objects of the surrounding world and their subsequent reflection. It is often identified with the term "sensation". And they are really interconnected with each other. But there are also differences. However, much more interesting is the physiological basis of perception. That's what I would like to talk about.

Sensations as a structural component

So, the physiological basis of perception is the joint activity of the system of analyzers functioning in a single complex.

How does it work? First, signals appear at the endings of the nerves entering the central nervous system. The reason for this is just an external stimulus, which can be any factor of the internal and external environment that causes increased sensitivity or arousal.

So, this signal goes to the cerebral cortex. "Transport" for him are the conductive nerve pathways. After that, the signal enters the sensory zonesbark. This, one might say, is the central projection of the nerve endings. And subsequently, sensory information is already formed. And its “content” depends on which sense organ that zone is associated with.

The process ends with the transfer of excitation to the integrative zones. There, images of the real world finish forming. After that, we get ready-made information and sensations. And all this happens in some billionths of a second.

Motor activity

The physiological basis of perception is directly connected with it. Accordingly, the process of information processing becomes more complicated. Since the nervous excitations, the occurrence of which provoked the influence of an external stimulus, pass to the centers in which they cover several zones of the cerebral cortex at once. As a result - the beginning of interaction with other impulses.

Here, for example, the eyes. It is through vision that we receive about 90% of all information! But the eyes are an organ. And it has muscles that are almost constantly involved. Even if a person himself analyzes how his eyes work, he will understand that this organ seems to “feel” the object. Especially if he is of some interest. Without natural eye movements, the image will not line up normally, and this has already been proven by numerous experiments. There are very interesting experiments on this topic, and some of the most entertaining ones were carried out by N. Yu. Vergiles and V. P. Zinchenko, and also by A. N. Leontiev.

Reflex component

It also contains the physiological basis of perception. Everyone knows that a reflex is a stable, unconscious reaction to a stimulus that occurs with the participation of the central nervous system. If a person accidentally touches a battery that is too hot, he will withdraw his hand immediately. This is the reflex.

So, the physiological basis of perception in psychology is connected with this aspect. For the first time, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov came to this. He proved that perception is a reflex process. According to the scientist, it is based on temporary nerve connections that are formed when the nerve receptors are affected by some phenomenon or object. They are of two kinds. Those that belong to the first are formed within the same analyzer. That is, when the body is affected by a single complex stimulus. The music track is a complex combination of hotel sounds and melodies. However, the auditory analyzer perceives it as a single stimulus.

Often the physiological basis of perception is the inter-analyzer reflex. This is the second type of temporary neural connection. It refers to connections occurring within several analyzers. For example, when a person watches a movie, he pays attention to the picture, the acting and the musical accompaniment. This is the inter-analyzer connection.

Thinking

The concept of perception and its physiological basis include this aspect without fail. Thinking is the most importantmental process. As well as a rather complex philosophical and medical concept. This is a process that involves memory, emotions, sensations. In the course of thinking, an active display of reality by a person is observed. And it is objective only if it is holistic. In order for the image to turn out just like that, everything must be taken into account - taste, weight, shape, color, sound, etc. Take, for example, people who have been deaf since birth. They see a bird and it seems beautiful to them. But they, unfortunately, do not have the opportunity to fully realize how beautiful and amazing she is, because they cannot hear her singing. In this case, and in all others like it, the image is incomplete.

Memory

Considering the physiological foundations and types of perception, one cannot fail to note this topic. Memory is a complex of higher mental functions and abilities for the accumulation, preservation and further reproduction of certain information and skills.

Previous knowledge about a particular subject is very important. If an object is familiar to a person, then it is automatically "transferred" to a certain category. This is in simple terms. In fact, the complete perception of familiar objects is the result of the most complex analytical and synthetic work. Few people think about it until the moment they learn about amnesia. Or not face it. A person simply forgets what happened to him at one moment (not without reasons, of course), and may never remember it again, not recognize the people with whom he was connected all his life.

Also worth notingdesire to perceive a certain object. A student can read a summary on an uninteresting subject from cover to cover, but not remember a word. Because he lacked attention and direction at that moment.

Apperception

Another process that includes the physiological basis of perception. In short, apperception is that which causes the elements of consciousness to become distinct and clear. Fundamental property of the human psyche. A person, perceiving objects and phenomena, is aware of them - he passes through himself. And how he “deciphers” this or that information for himself depends on his mental life, personal constitution.

This includes the mental abilities of a person, his beliefs, values and outlook on life, worldview and, of course, character. And all of the above is different for each of us. Therefore, all people have both like-minded people and absolute opposites. Because what is normal for some is not accepted by others.

Smell

Above, a lot of attention was paid to information in its traditional sense. But aromas and smells are also it. Only this information is of a slightly different order. However, it should be noted with attention, talking about the physiological foundations of perception in psychology.

To put it briefly, the sense of smell is the ability of a person to detect an odor diffused in the air. For this we all havea special epithelium located in the nasal cavity. The olfactory nerves carry impulses to the subcortical centers. Not immediately, of course. And through the olfactory bulbs. Their "ultimate" is the cortical center of the brain's sense of smell. That is, the temporal region, where olfactory information is processed. And each one is different. Many associate scent preferences with psychology.

Some people claim, for example, that introverts have a stronger sense of smell than extroverts. Others believe that lovers of bright colors prefer fruity scents. Those who like rich, dark tones love oriental, “warm” smells. However, that's another topic.

Result

Finally, a few words as a conclusion. Based on everything that has been said above, we can conclude that perception is based on complex mental and physiological processes. And, in particular, systems of analyzer connections, due to which all information is assimilated in the best possible way.