Gibsons Contribution to Perception

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Assess the contribution of Gibson’s (1979) ‘ecological theory’ to our understanding of perception. Perception refers to how organisms can be aware of their surroundings. It is the process of gaining awareness and understanding of the environment by arranging and interpreting sensory information. “Perception is the process by which organisms interpret and organize sensation to produce a meaningful experience of the world” (Averill A W 1988). The ecological approach to perception stresses the relationship between the organism and its immediate environment, and also the relationship between perception and action. The ecological perspective is a systems-based approach to perception and control of an action.The ecological approach aims to define, explain and predict perception and action by all organisms, in all circumstances at all ages. James Gibson’s approach to perception was developed throughout his career, concluding in his last book The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception (Gibson, 1979). The ecological approach highlights the dependence of the perceiving organism and environment, the exchange of perception and action, and a form of ‘direct perception’ in which prepared perceivers gather information that is specific to its source. Contrasting Gregory and the Gestalt theorists, Gibson sees real movement as a leading part of perception. After spending a few years as a scientist with the Aviation Psychology Program during World War II Gibson realised that the practical problems of landings and take-offs had little relation with the physiology of the eyeball. This is what planted the concept that perceptual theory should try to explain real-world behaviours.“…He reached the idea that information in ‘whole field’ displays gives valid and salient information about the true state of the world” (Gregory R L and Colman, A M 1995). Gibson developed his theory to
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