Question

(Psychology Question)
When we interpret an ambigious situation in terms of our past experiences, what occurs?

Only a perceptual set?
only bottom up processing?
only top down processing?
both perceptual set amd top down processing?

Answer 1

• both perceptual set and top down processing; Perceptual set occurs when we interpret an ambiguous stimulus in accordance with our past experiences.
• Top-down processing is the brain's use of existing knowledge, beliefs, and expectations to interpret the sensory stimulation. Perception is subjective because of top-down processing.
• Bottom-up processing is the processing of sensory information as it enters the sensory structures and travels to the brain.
• Top-down processing is also known as conceptually-driven processing since your perceptions are influenced by expectations, existing beliefs, and understanding. In some cases, you are aware of these influences, but in other instances, this process occurs without conscious awareness.
• For example, imagine that you are driving down an unfamiliar street and you see a sign for a convenience store. The sign has several missing letters, but you're still able to read it. Why? Because you use top-down processing and rely on your existing knowledge to make an educated guess about what the sign says.