PERCEPTUAL FILTERS
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2518 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
Any sensorial organ or part of the nervous subsystem which reduces our capacity to observe our environment.
Our five generally recognized sensory organs all act as perceptual filters. For ex., our sight cannot recognize infra-red or ultra-violet radiations, or may in some cases confuse colors (Daltonism). This renders our sight incomplete, and even in some cases unreliable.
The way sensations are translated into nervous inputs, and notably the ways these inputs are converted and become interconnected in the brain, may also produce a filtering or warping effect.
In this way, ambiguities and erroneous interpretations can appear as for example optical or auditive illusions.
Finally, some cultural traits may generate perceptual filtering effects through a different quality or level of sensorial education. As an example, the perception by Indian Raga musicians of 1/9th of tones is more acute than the Occidental perception of mere 1/2 tones.
The existence of perceptual filters is very important for any good theory of the observer.
See also
Blindspot