Perception is an automatic process that occurs rapidly and sometimes we do not realize it, in which we can recognize the stimulus that we receive.
Factors that influence perception are as follows:
a. External factors
1. Contrast: The easiest way to attract attention is to make a good contrasting color, size, shape or movement
- Color contrast; if someone climbs a mountain; it is recommended to use orange jacket. This is to facilitate the search if he gets lost on the mountain. Orange color that contrasts with the surrounding green color will be more quickly attract the attention of someone.
- Size contrast; This method is mostly done by advertising companies, in which they will make a huge billboard (ballyhoo).
- Shape Contrast; among a group of thin people, we will quickly be noticed if we are obese.
- Movement Contrast; movement will attract someone's attention, if other objects don’t move.
2. Change in the intensity: the sound changes from slow to harden or light changes with high intensity will attract someone's attention.
3. Repetition: by repetition, although at first the stimulus does not get the person's attention span, then it will eventually get attention.
4. Something new (novelty): a new stimulus will attract more attention than something we already known.
5. Something that is of many people’s concern: a stimulus of many people’s concern will attract someone's attention.
b. Internal factors
Internal factors that exist in a person will affect how a person interprets the stimulus. That's why the same stimulus can be perceived differently.
1. Experience / knowledge: experience or knowledge of a person is a factor that is important in interpreting the stimulus obtained.
2. Expectation: Expectation for something will affect the perception of the stimulus.
3. Need: Need causing stimulus can get in our attention spans and it will cause a person to interpret stimuli differently.
4. Motivation: motivation will affect one's perception. If someone wants graduate with cum laude, value B will be interpreted as a bad value.
5. Emotion: one's emotion will affect perception of the existing stimulus. Fear will affect a person's perception of pain. If someone feels fear, after surgery he will feel more pain than those who face surgery without fear.
6. Culture: someone with the same cultural background will interpret those in the group differently, but they will perceive people outside the group as the same. This forms stereotype.
