Theories on Perception and Attitude for Competitive Exams

Perception is the process by which we interpret and make sense of sensory information from our environment. It is a complex process that involves several cognitive functions and stages, starting from the moment we receive the sensory stimuli until we interpret and give meaning to them. One of the most famous theories on perception is the Gestalt Theory, which emphasizes the holistic nature of perception and argues that we perceive objects as whole entities rather than a collection of individual parts. The theory is based on the principle that the human brain organizes information in patterns or "wholes" that are easier to process and understand. Attitude, on the other hand, refers to the way we feel, think, or behave towards a particular object, person, or situation. Attitudes are often formed as a result of our experiences, beliefs, and values and can be positive, negative, or neutral. One of the widely accepted theories on attitude formation is the Social Learning Theory, which suggests that attitudes are formed through observation and imitation of others. This theory emphasizes the role of social and environmental factors in shaping our attitudes.

Theories on perception and attitude is a very vital topic to be studied for the UGC-NET Commerce Examination in detail.

In this article, the readers will be able to know about the theories on perception and attitude along with the other related and relevant topics for the examination.

Read about Gibson Theory of Direct Perception.

Theories on Perception and Attitude

The theories on perception and attitude have been explained below.

Perception Theories

The perception theories are stated below.

• Gestalt Theory: This theory says that when we look at something, we don't just see its individual parts. Instead, we see the whole thing as one complete image. It's like when you see a face, you don't just see two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. You see a face. The theory is based on the idea that our minds like to organize information in a way that makes sense and is easy to understand.
• Constructivist Theory: According to this theory, our perception is not just based on what we see. It is also influenced by our past experiences, memories, and knowledge. So, when we look at something, our brain uses the information it already has to help us understand what we are seeing.
• Ecological Theory: This theory suggests that perception is a direct process. It says that when we look at something, we can directly understand it without needing to think about it. The theory is based on the idea that our environment provides us with all the information we need to perceive things accurately.

Find out about Marr’s model of perception.

Attitude Theories

Theories on attitude have been stated below.

• Social Learning Theory: This theory suggests that we learn attitudes by watching and imitating other people, especially those we consider important, like our parents or friends. So, if your parents have a positive attitude towards a particular thing, you are more likely to have a positive attitude towards it too.
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory: This theory is based on the idea that we don't like to have conflicting thoughts or attitudes. So, when we have two attitudes that conflict with each other, we try to change one of them to make them match. For example, if you believe that smoking is bad for your health but you still smoke, you might try to convince yourself that smoking is not that bad.
• Functional Theory: This theory suggests that our attitudes serve a purpose or function for us. For example, having a positive attitude towards something can help us feel good about ourselves. Or, having a negative attitude towards something can help us avoid things that might be harmful to us.

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Early Theories on Perception

Perception is basically how we see and understand the things around us. Imagine you see a beautiful sunset. Your eyes send a picture of that sunset to your brain, and your brain figures out what you're looking at. That's perception. Now, let's talk about some early ideas people had about how perception works.

• Direct Perception Theory (Gibson): This theory says that we can understand the world around us directly from the information our senses give us. It's like looking at a pizza and knowing it's a pizza just by seeing it. We don't need to think about it or compare it to other things. We just know it's a pizza.
• Constructivist Theory (Helmholtz): According to this theory, our brain doesn't just rely on what our eyes or ears tell it. It also uses our past experiences and knowledge to figure out what we're looking at. It's like when you see a picture of a beach, and it reminds you of the last time you went on vacation. Your brain uses that memory to help you understand the picture.
• Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume): This idea says that we learn to perceive things through experience. When we're born, we don't know what anything is. But as we grow up, we learn from our experiences. If you touch a hot stove, you learn that it's painful. So, the next time you see a hot stove, you know not to touch it.
• Nativism (Descartes, Kant): This theory is the opposite of Empiricism. It says that we're born with some knowledge about the world. We don't have to learn everything from scratch. Some things just come naturally to us. It's like how babies know how to suck their thumb without being taught.
• Gestalt Psychology: This theory says that we see things as whole pictures, not just individual parts. When you look at a bicycle, you don't see just wheels, a seat, and handlebars. You see a whole bicycle. This theory says that our brain likes to organize things into whole images that make sense.

Read costing for decision making.

Oldest Theory on Perception

One of the oldest theories on perception is called "Empiricism." This theory dates back to ancient times and has been explored by philosophers like John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. It's an idea that's still talked about today.

Empiricism is all about experience. According to this theory, everything we know and understand comes from our experiences. When we're born, our minds are like a blank piece of paper. We don't know anything about the world yet. As we grow up, we start to have experiences that fill up that blank paper with knowledge.

Think about a baby. When a baby is born, it doesn't know what a ball is. But as it grows up, it starts to see balls, touch them, and play with them. After a while, the baby knows what a ball is because of those experiences. It's like the baby's brain is taking notes and learning from what's happening around it.

Empiricism says that our senses are like windows to the world. Our eyes, ears, nose, and skin give us information about what's going on around us. When we see a beautiful flower, smell something yummy, or touch something soft, our senses are sending messages to our brain. Our brain then uses those messages to figure out what we're experiencing.

The big idea behind Empiricism is that we learn about the world by experiencing it. We don't come into the world already knowing stuff.. And we do that by using our senses and paying attention to what's happening around us.

Read about Theories of Business Ethics.

Conclusion

Perception and attitude are complex cognitive processes that are shaped by various factors, including personal experiences, cultural background, expectations, and context. Perception is the process by which we interpret and make sense of sensory information, while attitude refers to the way we feel, think, or behave towards a particular object, person, or situation. Both perception and attitude play a crucial role in shaping our behavior and interactions with others. Understanding these processes can help us become more aware of our biases and preferences and improve our communication and relationships with others.

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