Stimulus object raises the sensory organs or receptors. Stimulus not only can come from outside the individual, but it can also come from within the individual
itself. In fact, the bulk of the stimulus comes from outside the individual. 2. Sensory organs, nerves, and central nervous system
Sensory organs or receptors are some means to receive the stimulus. Besides, there should be a sensory nerve as a mean to continue the stimulus received by the
receptors to the central nervous system. 3. Attention
To realize the perception, someone needs attention which is the first step as a preparation in order to perceive the object. Attention is a centralization or
concentration of all individual activities toward something or objects.
c. Process of Perception
Psychologists distinguish between bottom-up and top-down processing in sensation and perception. In bottom-up processing, sensory receptors register
information about the external environment and sent it up to the brain for analysis and interpretation.
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Bottom-up processing means that taking in information and trying to make sense of it.
In contrast, top-down processing starts out with cognitive processing at the higher level of the brain.
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In top-down processing, we begin with some sense of what is happening and apply that framework to information.
In addtion, according to Alex Sobur, there are three main components in the process of perception.
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They are: 1. Selection
Selection is a process of selection by sensory organs toward stimulus which come from outside of individual.
2. Interpretation
28
John W. Santrock, Psychology Updated Seventh Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005, p. 177
29
John W. Santrock, op.cit, p. 177
30
Alex Sobur, Psikologi Umum, Bandung: Pustaka Setia, 2003, p. 447
Interpretation is a process of organizing information so that it has a meaning for someone. The interpretation is influenced by some factors, for instance,
previous experiences, motivation, personality, and intelligence. 3. Interpretation and Perception
The interpretation and perception then is interpreted into someone’s act.
Hence, the process of perception is doing selection and interpretation toward the information received by sensory organs.
d. Perception and Learning
Perception and learning are interrelated. Perception is defined as the process by which someone organizes and interprets patterns of stimuli in environment.
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Then, learning is defined as relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.
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It refers to a person experience of the world. Hence, when one perceives something through his or her environment, he or she then learns it and
somehow puts it into practice. In Psikologi Pendidikan, Wasti Soemanto states that a positive perception
will lead to happiness, on the other hand, a negative perception will lead to unhappiness.
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Those happiness and unhappiness will influence someone’s desire and action, including learners’ desire and action in learning. Because the
perceptions have important role in education, teachers have to accommodate the positive perceptions to the learners to improve the happiness which leads to the
learners’ desire and action in learning. Furthermore, the other explanations about perception and learning come
from other research. Maarten van Wesel, et.al state that the perception influences the learners learning.
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The learners ’ perception of a learning environment effects
the way learners manage to work in the environment. Additionally, the result of
31
Rita L. Atkinson, et.al., Introduction to Psychology, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983, p. 133
32
Raygor, The Science of Psychology, New York: Harcourt College Publishers, p.236
33
Wasti Soemanto, Psikologi Pendidikan, Jakarta: Rineka Cipta, 2006, p.26
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Maarten van Wesel, et. al, The Influence of Portofolio Media on Student Perceptions and Learning Outcomes, at Student Mobility and ICT: Can E-LEARNING overcome barriers of
Life-Long learning?, November 19-20th 2008
