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Attention and Perception

ICSE · Class 11 · Psychology

Quick revision notes for Attention and Perception — ICSE Class 11 Psychology. Key concepts, formulas, and definitions for last-minute revision.

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Key Topics to Revise

1

3.1 Attention – Nature, Characteristics, and Determinants

  • Attention is defined by William James as 'taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one object out of several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought.'
  • Ross defines attention as 'the process of getting an object or thought clearly before the mind.'
  • Dumville defines attention as 'the concentration of consciousness upon one object rather than upon another.'
2

3.1.3 Determinants of Attention

  • EXTERNAL DETERMINANTS (Stimulus-related): Intensity, Size, Shape, Colour, Change, Mobility, Novelty, Contrast, Long Duration, Repetition.
  • INTERNAL DETERMINANTS (Person-related): Divided into (a) Mental condition factors and (b) Physical condition factors.
  • Mental condition factors: Interest, Aptitude, Need/Desire, Emotion, Experience, Habit.
3

3.2.1 Sensation – Nature, Characteristics, and Attributes

  • Sensation is the INITIAL or PRIMARY awareness about a stimulus — the simplest form of cognition.
  • James Sully: Sensation is the experience originated in the brain when the outer end of a receptor/afferent nerve is stimulated and the stimulation travels to the brain.
  • Example: Hearing the horn of a car — first we receive the auditory stimulus through ears → transmitted to brain → initial awareness = SENSATION. When brain identifies it as a car horn = PERCEPTION.
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3.2.2 Perception – Definition, Process, and Characteristics

  • C.G. Morris: 'All the processes involved in creating meaningful patterns out of a jumble of sensory impressions fall under the general category of perception.'
  • R.E. Silverman: Perception is 'an individual's awareness aspect of behaviour, far it is the way each person processes the raw data he or she receives from the environment, into meaningful patterns.'
  • Perception = Meaningful Sensation. The moment a sensation is understood and given meaning, it becomes perception.

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Key Concepts

Attention is a higherSensation is the initialPerception is the complex mental processThese are characteristics of stimuliThese are person

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