There is no closed psychological definition of perception. In fact, there are various definitions that have evolved over time towards the implication of experiences and internal processes of the individual..
While Gibson's ecologist approach defends that perception is a simple process (the information is in the stimulus, without the need to analyze subsequent mental processes); According to Neisser's classical psychology, perception is a complex active-constructive process in which the receiving individual, before processing the information, builds an anticipatory scheme, which allows him to contrast the stimulus and accept or reject it.
For its part, modern psychology considers that interaction with the environment would not be possible in the absence of a constant flow of information, which stimulates perception. In any case, if we want to work under an open and constantly evolving definition, such as perception itself, it could be defined as a set of processes and activities related to the stimulation of the senses, through which we obtain information.
Many studies have concluded that various subjective factors condition our perception and that, in many cases, it is not objectively reliable. A good example of this is that reactions to the same stimulus vary considerably from one individual to another. In some psychological tests, the same abstract figure evokes a cheese for some, a pacifier for others, a cake or even a pie chart depending on who looks at the figure in question. A good example of this type of test is the famous Hermann Rorschach test. In fact, in the case of Rorschach, the perception of the individual who is being tested may be an indication of his psychological state.
Another characteristic to take into account is the selective condition of perception or, simplifying, selective perception. Broadly speaking, it is a consequence of the subjective nature of the person who cannot perceive all the stimuli that arrive at the same time and reduces his perceptual field based on what he wishes to perceive. Currently, due to various factors, many people experience a selective perception that produces cognitive distortions that normally occur when our desires, our desire for something to happen in a certain way, affect the way in which our perception operates.
The temporality of the stimuli and the perception process must also be taken into account, since they force us to choose. However, depending on the individual, the demands when choosing stimuli vary considerably. In fact, this temporality evolves as the experiences of the individual are enriched, or when the needs and motivations for observation change. When we analyze the response of an experienced person, of adult age, for example, we can recognize different perception processes, characterized by a much more measured way of managing stimuli. Furthermore, the immediacy and brevity of some stimuli do not require as much attention from someone accustomed to managing them..
A good example of this misleading perception is the analysis that has been made of the perception in the case of some strategic games, such as poker. According to Matthias Brandner, when we play poker we observe two categories of perception: we perceive ourselves and other players, and we perceive the game. This can lead to two problems: when we perceive our opponents and ourselves incorrectly or when we do the same with the game or the result of it..
Human beings tend to overestimate or underestimate their abilities and those of their opponents, in the same way that they perceive qualities in the game outside of an objective reality (for example: "I always lose with pair of aces"). This is when the selective perception of which we have previously spoken comes into play..
There is no doubt about the suggestion that the human being exerts on his perception and, from this suggestion, all kinds of consequences arise. Among them, superstition or bad luck stand out, for example, which are nothing more than subjective modifications on how we interpret reality.
Interestingly, one of the most common mistakes in our perception is that, in many cases, we are unable to criticize our own mistakes and acknowledge our failures. Selective perception does its own thing and does not allow us to objectively judge ourselves.
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