The Perception - Artificial Human Sensors: Science and Applications - page 53

CHAPTER THREE

THE PERCEPTION

The definition of the word perception from the aspect of natural science may be
expressed as:

physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience

(Encyclopædia Britannica - Merriam-Webster Dictionary). This definition, how-
ever, does not take into account the massive and complex structure that humans
perceive with all their senses. The definition below may be considered more gen-
eral and involves the smelling and tasting abilities, which in no sense can be con-
sidered as physical sensations, since they are based on chemical substances.
The interpretation of sensory information using both the raw data detected by the
senses and previous experiences
(Oxford Reference Online - A Dictionary of Biology in Biological Science). How-
ever, one of the most describing definitions of the human perception process can
be a slightly modified version of the definition found in Encarta Encyclopedia.
The description of the word perception is:
perceiving is the process of using the senses to acquire information about the surround-
ing environment or situation ; within the range of human perception.
The psychological related definition of the human perception may be related to
a neurological process of observation and interpretation through the sensing or-
gans. Any neurological process of acquiring and mentally interpreting information
from the human senses is concerning the;

- recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli, based mainly on capacity of
the memory.
- insight, intuition, or knowledge gained by perceiving.
- the capacity for such insight regarding the handling of a huge information flow.

3.1 INTRODUCTION

In psychology, and also cognitive sciences, the meaning of the perception concept,
is the process of attaining awareness or the understanding of sensory information