The Interconnection of Perception, Consciousness, and Attention

Introduction to Perception

Perception is “experiences resulting from stimulation of the senses” (Goldstein, 2019)

Humans evolved with detailed visual perception

Third of the human brain devoted to it

Perception = physical energy from outside world ? electrochemical message ? stimulating receptor cells ? received by the brain

Perception may be deceiving, vision not reflecting reality

Perception is a process, change with added information

Theoretical Background of Perception

Focus on Gestalt psychology conception of perception

Based in Wundt’s structuralism, perception is the combination of sensations

Proposed by Max Wertheimer in 1911 when observing apparent movement

Underlying principle – whole different than sum of its parts

Gestalt psychologists proposed principles of perceptual organization – elements group together to create larger objects in human perception

Applications of Perception

Gestalt psychology has practical application in psychology and psychotherapy design

Gestalt therapy used for treatment of depression and anxiety – client centered approach with a focus on present

By understanding that perception is heavily influenced by motivations and expectations, behavior change occurs as individuals realize certain thought and behavior patterns influencing their perception of self and the world

Introduction to Consciousness

Most difficult to define and largely unknown concept of cognitive psychology

Believed to arise from physical systems such as the brain, which somehow becomes an ‘experiencer’

Consciousness is a form of inner life and awareness which controls behaviors, perception, and flow of information (Chalmers, 1996)

Theoretical Background of Consciousness

Popular group of theories are the higher-order theories of consciousness

Consciousness consists in perceptions about first-order mental states

Seek to distinguish between conscious and unconscious brain processing

Applications of Consciousness

There are various forms of consciousness that can be considered in therapy, including sensory, subconsciousness, self-consciousness, and individual differences in awareness

There are also altered states of consciousness including sleep and dreaming, hallucinations, disorientation, and others

Understanding consciousness can help in identifying disorders both physical or mental with a patient

Applying theories of consciousness, focusing on awareness and what information guides decision-making can help shift behavior.

Introduction to Attention

Attention is ability to focus on specific stimuli or locations (Goldstein, 2019)

The mind ‘taking possession’ in a clear form of one of the numerous information streams, objects, or thought that simultaneously bombard every human

Attention allows to choose mental direction taken

Change function of neural circuitry by focusing on a specific stream of consciousness

Theoretical Background of Attention

  • Feature integration theory (FIT)
  • Consists of pre-attentive stage and focused attention stage, leading to perception
  • Initially objects are broken into features without focus
  • Then combination

Applications of Attention

Perception identifies the object and focuses attention on it, analyzing it

Therapies utilizing mindfulness teach clients to alter behavioral responses willfully by shifting amount and quality of attention focused on negative aspects (Schwartz & Begley, 2002)

Attention can aid in focusing attention on awareness of certain aspects of environment, decisions, or thoughts

Practices such as mindfulness and meditation have been effective in psychotherapy as means of shifting attention

Conclusion

Perception, attention, and consciousness are different types of cognition – or mental processes

Research demonstrated that they are heavily intertwined, such as attention ? perception, perception alters consciousness, and consciousness affects attention states

All three work together to shape how an individual engages with and views the world

Application to Diverse Populations

Clear evidence that culture and sustained experiences impact brain structure and function (Park & Huang, 2010)

Therapies and assessments applying the principles of consciousness, attention, and perception must be culturally sensitive and responsive

A culturally responsive assessment takes a systems approach, learning about overlapping systems relevant to client’s life and influences

May include family, religion, language, education, beliefs, preferences of food and entertainment – all of which can be encompassed under culture (Hays, 2016)

Cultural influences and identities can shape perception based on beliefs, attitudes and values – each cultural group typically has a schema (Alegria et al., 2010)

Cultural bias which pervades life experiences commonly produces subtle bias towards attention to particular features in environment, objects, and actors (Ketay et al., 2009)

Consciousness is a part of individual identity which is closely tied with culture and diverse perspective as well as developing awareness of culture in self (Bans, 2012)

References

Alegria, M., Atkins, M., Farmer, E., Slaton, E., & Stelk, W. (2010). One Size Does Not Fit All: Taking Diversity, Culture and Context Seriously. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 37(1-2), 48–60. Web.

Banks, J. A. (2012). Cultural consciousness. In Encyclopedia of diversity in education (Vol. 1, pp. 510-510). SAGE Publications, Inc., Web.

Brownell, P. (2019). Handbook for theory, research, and practice in Gestalt therapy (2nd ed.). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Carlson, N.R. (2017). Physiology of behavior (12th ed.). Pearson

Chalmers, D. J. (1996). The conscious mind: In search of a fundamental theory. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Earl, B. (2014). The biological function of consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology, 5. Web.

Goldstein, B. E. (2019). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research, and everyday experience (5th ed.). Cengage.

Hays, P. A. (2016). Addressing cultural complexities in practice: assessment, diagnosis, and therapy. American Psychological Association.

Ketay, S., Aron, A., & Hedden, T. (2009). Culture and attention: evidence from brain and behavior. Progress in Brain Research, 79–92. Web.

Mace, C. (2018). Mindfulness in psychotherapy: an introduction. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 13(2), 147-154. Web.

Schwartz, J. M., & Begley, S. (2002). The mind and the brain: Neuroplasticity and the power of mental force. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Wokke, M. E., Vandenbroucke, A. R. E., Scholte, H. S., & Lamme, V. A. F. (2012). confuse your illusion. Psychological Science, 24(1), 63–71. Web.

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StudyCorgi. 2023. "The Interconnection of Perception, Consciousness, and Attention." May 23, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/the-interconnection-of-perception-consciousness-and-attention/.

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