Perception in thought processes Essay

This paper seeks to explore the role played by perception in thought processes in an individual’s life. It also focuses on intelligence and the relationship between intelligence and cognition. Perception which is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information influence thinking styles, thinking skills as well as the types of thoughts in an individual’s mind. The world of an individual begins by what is visible, imagined or told in a story about various issues and things in his or her immediate surrounding. When these things are assimilated by an individual, a response is ignited in the mind in the form of thought processes. (Bohm, D. 1994, p. 130). I perceive the current modern world as a place of creativity and competition and an arena where everybody is always pushing his or her way even if it is to the disadvantage of others. For instance, the industrialized nations continue to release greenhouse gases despite the world wide outcry on global warming. Due to these, I am always thinking of discovering something new that can push me a head of the rest in both competition and creativity. Most importantly, what is always in my mind is how to accumulate enough money in this capitalistic world where everyone is keeps to themselves. The egocentricity I encounter in my interaction with people has made me to think of ways on how to keep whatever I have to myself and a way from the selfish world. The characteristics of what I perceive as well as personal characteristics like my attitude, personality, motives, interests, past experiences and expectations affect the thought processes. Several definitions for intelligence have been developed by various researchers and scientists but there seems to be no consensus on the universally acceptable definition. According to Sternberg, J. R, Jean E. P. (2005), the definitions revolve around specific abilities which are pooled together to form general abilities as the parameters around which intelligence can be defined. Consequently intelligence can be defined as the ability to learn about, learn from, understand, and interact with one’s environment. These specific abilities are the reason for cognition which is the process of recognizing, interpreting, making judgments as well as reasoning; these involves perceptions, learning, memory, and decision making. The capacity for knowledge and ability to acquire it is a specific component of intelligence that can lead a person into judging a situation or an object. The capacity to reason and higher thinking coupled with ability to carry out an evaluation gives judgment as a product of intelligence. The ability to adapt to a new environment or to changes in the current environment dictates how an animal or human being will act on the information from its environment. Interpretation which is encompassed in cognition is as a result of the ability to comprehend the issue at hand and contrast and compare relationships that we face. Cognition can therefore be said to result from original and productive thought. Conclusion. What an individual perceives define the thought processes he or she is undergoing. Perception of the surrounding environment is what triggers the development of thinking skills and styles needed in response. Cognition is a consequence of specific abilities which are found in intelligence and they mostly occur together.