STUDY GUIDE - LESSON 7: SENSATION AND PERCEPTION, ATTITUDES AND
VALUES IN A WORLD AND AFRICAN CONTEXT
In this Study Guide you will find:
• Learning outcomes of Lesson 7
• Learning material for Lesson 7
• Key concepts
• Lesson content: study guide
• References
Learning outcomes of lesson 7
After studying lesson 7, students should be able to explain and apply concepts and
principles of the psycho-social behavioural processes sensation and perception, and
demonstrate an understanding of the nature, function and roles of attitudes and
values, which affect how people behave in the work context. Once you have studied
lesson 7, you should be able to:
• differentiate the processes and principles of sensation and perception.
• describe the function of each of our senses and outline the anatomy of the sense
organs
• explain different principles of perception
• apply knowledge of sensation and perception to real world examples.
• explain the nature of attitudes and values
• explain and apply the functions of attitudes and values in the work context
• describe different approaches to individual values and to values in a cultural context
• explain and apply attitude and value change
Prescribed Reading Material for Lesson 7
There are two pdf documents containing the learning material relevant to lesson 7.
The first is chapter 3 from the book “Essentials in Psychology” (2018) by JS Nevid,
which focusses on the topic of “Sensation and Perception”. The second is chapter 9
by Jerome Kiley on “Attitudes and Values” from the book “Psychology in the work
context” by ZC Bergh and DJ Geldenhuys (5th edition). You will need to study each of
these documents to reach the learning outcomes in this lesson. The sections that
1
,follow here on myUnisa about lesson 7 are aimed to guide you through the learning
material in a logical and comprehensive manner. These documents are:
Nevid, JS. 2018. Sensation & Perception. In JS Nevid, Essentials in Psychology.
(chapter 3, pp 86-131). Cengage.
Kiley, J. 2014. Attitudes & Values. In Z Bergh & D Geldenhuys, Psychology in Work
Context, (chapter 9, pp 114-143). Goodwood, Cape Town: Oxford University
Press.
Key concepts
Can be downloaded from the Lesson 7 folder on myUnisa
2
,Lesson Content: Study Guide
Introduction
Part of developing your understanding of psychological and social processes in the
work and self-employment context, entails becoming aware of the role and functioning
of basic behavioural processes such as sensation and perception, as well as attitudes
and values, because these processes affect how people behave in the workplace. In
this lesson we focus on these four processes that are inherent to all humans. These
four processes are therefore of a psychological nature, because they manifest in the
mind and body of the individual. Yet, they are also socially derived, because our
perceptions, attitudes and values are formed in a specific social context and influenced
by this context. The topics that we will cover are:
7.1 The difference between sensation and perception
7.2 Basic principles of sensation
7.3 Our senses and their functions
Vision
Audition
Smell and taste
Touch
Kinesthetic and vestibular
7.4 Perception
What is perception?
Principles and theories of perception
Gestalt principles of perceptual organization
Perceptual constancy
Depth and motor perception
Visual illusions
Subliminal and extrasensory perception
7.5 Attitudes and values
The nature of attitudes and values
The function of attitudes and values
Different approaches to understanding individual values
Attitudes and values in the work context
Culture and values
Attitude and value change
Ethics
3
, 7.1 The difference between sensation and perception
Study Chapter 3, in Sensation & Perception. In JS Nevid, Essentials in
Psychology. (pp 86-131) to understand the topics in sections 7.1 to 7.4 of
sensation and perception
Sensation and perception are two of the most basic, yet complex psychological
processes in a human being. They are distinct processes, but they cannot be
separated from one another, because the one automatically leads to the other and
they mutually affect one another. Psychophysics is the study of how we perceive and
experience our environment through our senses.
Sensation refers to the process of receiving, transforming and processing stimuli from
our environment through our sense organs and their sensory receptors, such as
through touching, tasting, seeing, hearing and smelling. Received sensory information
is sent via neural impulses from our skin, tongue, eyes, ears and nose to our brain for
further processing. Section 3.1 in your learning material explains sensation and the
most important concepts related to sensation.
Perception is about how the brain interprets our sensory information and this is
explained in section 3.5 of the relevant chapter in your reading material. Perception
entails the process by which the brain selects, organizes, and interprets all the
information received by our senses. Our senses constitute the physiological basis of
perception and perception helps us to make sense of and ascribe meaning to
everything around us. In this way sensation and perception are equally important in
how human beings view, understand and interpret their worlds. These two processes
play complimentary roles in how we react to and behave in the world of work.
: Which of the following is mainly sensation and which is perception?
Sensation Perception
Saltiness of food
Comfortable chair
Soothing music
Loud noise
Happy taste of lemons
Itchy skin
Familiar smell of mother
Odor
4
VALUES IN A WORLD AND AFRICAN CONTEXT
In this Study Guide you will find:
• Learning outcomes of Lesson 7
• Learning material for Lesson 7
• Key concepts
• Lesson content: study guide
• References
Learning outcomes of lesson 7
After studying lesson 7, students should be able to explain and apply concepts and
principles of the psycho-social behavioural processes sensation and perception, and
demonstrate an understanding of the nature, function and roles of attitudes and
values, which affect how people behave in the work context. Once you have studied
lesson 7, you should be able to:
• differentiate the processes and principles of sensation and perception.
• describe the function of each of our senses and outline the anatomy of the sense
organs
• explain different principles of perception
• apply knowledge of sensation and perception to real world examples.
• explain the nature of attitudes and values
• explain and apply the functions of attitudes and values in the work context
• describe different approaches to individual values and to values in a cultural context
• explain and apply attitude and value change
Prescribed Reading Material for Lesson 7
There are two pdf documents containing the learning material relevant to lesson 7.
The first is chapter 3 from the book “Essentials in Psychology” (2018) by JS Nevid,
which focusses on the topic of “Sensation and Perception”. The second is chapter 9
by Jerome Kiley on “Attitudes and Values” from the book “Psychology in the work
context” by ZC Bergh and DJ Geldenhuys (5th edition). You will need to study each of
these documents to reach the learning outcomes in this lesson. The sections that
1
,follow here on myUnisa about lesson 7 are aimed to guide you through the learning
material in a logical and comprehensive manner. These documents are:
Nevid, JS. 2018. Sensation & Perception. In JS Nevid, Essentials in Psychology.
(chapter 3, pp 86-131). Cengage.
Kiley, J. 2014. Attitudes & Values. In Z Bergh & D Geldenhuys, Psychology in Work
Context, (chapter 9, pp 114-143). Goodwood, Cape Town: Oxford University
Press.
Key concepts
Can be downloaded from the Lesson 7 folder on myUnisa
2
,Lesson Content: Study Guide
Introduction
Part of developing your understanding of psychological and social processes in the
work and self-employment context, entails becoming aware of the role and functioning
of basic behavioural processes such as sensation and perception, as well as attitudes
and values, because these processes affect how people behave in the workplace. In
this lesson we focus on these four processes that are inherent to all humans. These
four processes are therefore of a psychological nature, because they manifest in the
mind and body of the individual. Yet, they are also socially derived, because our
perceptions, attitudes and values are formed in a specific social context and influenced
by this context. The topics that we will cover are:
7.1 The difference between sensation and perception
7.2 Basic principles of sensation
7.3 Our senses and their functions
Vision
Audition
Smell and taste
Touch
Kinesthetic and vestibular
7.4 Perception
What is perception?
Principles and theories of perception
Gestalt principles of perceptual organization
Perceptual constancy
Depth and motor perception
Visual illusions
Subliminal and extrasensory perception
7.5 Attitudes and values
The nature of attitudes and values
The function of attitudes and values
Different approaches to understanding individual values
Attitudes and values in the work context
Culture and values
Attitude and value change
Ethics
3
, 7.1 The difference between sensation and perception
Study Chapter 3, in Sensation & Perception. In JS Nevid, Essentials in
Psychology. (pp 86-131) to understand the topics in sections 7.1 to 7.4 of
sensation and perception
Sensation and perception are two of the most basic, yet complex psychological
processes in a human being. They are distinct processes, but they cannot be
separated from one another, because the one automatically leads to the other and
they mutually affect one another. Psychophysics is the study of how we perceive and
experience our environment through our senses.
Sensation refers to the process of receiving, transforming and processing stimuli from
our environment through our sense organs and their sensory receptors, such as
through touching, tasting, seeing, hearing and smelling. Received sensory information
is sent via neural impulses from our skin, tongue, eyes, ears and nose to our brain for
further processing. Section 3.1 in your learning material explains sensation and the
most important concepts related to sensation.
Perception is about how the brain interprets our sensory information and this is
explained in section 3.5 of the relevant chapter in your reading material. Perception
entails the process by which the brain selects, organizes, and interprets all the
information received by our senses. Our senses constitute the physiological basis of
perception and perception helps us to make sense of and ascribe meaning to
everything around us. In this way sensation and perception are equally important in
how human beings view, understand and interpret their worlds. These two processes
play complimentary roles in how we react to and behave in the world of work.
: Which of the following is mainly sensation and which is perception?
Sensation Perception
Saltiness of food
Comfortable chair
Soothing music
Loud noise
Happy taste of lemons
Itchy skin
Familiar smell of mother
Odor
4
