Have you ever noticed how the same experience can be different in different situations? The processes of sensation and perception can be influenced by the environment in which we experience the stimulus. Briefly describe a situation in which you believe that your sensation and/or perception was altered by your environment. What sensory mode was changed and in what way? How would your sensation or perception of this same experience in another setting be different? Use one of the sensation or perceptual concepts (attention, illusory conjunctions, principles of perceptual organization) that is likely an explanation for your experience.

Example:

When I was in fifth grade my family went camping in the mountains for the first time. Before we went, my mother and father talked with my brother and me about what we would do on our trip, and what it would be like. They told us about how we would be closer to our natural surroundings in the mountains, more in tune with nature than in the city. In the outdoors there would be fewer distractions, and if we were quiet, we might see wildlife such as squirrels, rabbits, deer or elk.

They were right! Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city led to more vivid sensations than we had ever experienced. The silence made each sound more salient. We heard the wind moving through the trees and grass, the bubbling of the creek that fed the lake, and the occasional skittering of chipmunks. At twilight we heard the faint sound of leaves rustling and small twigs snapping in a subtle pattern. Our patient, quiet wait to see the source of this noise was rewarded: across a meadow we saw two deer appear from the trees. They only stayed briefly then went on their way, but seeing the deer was an amazing experience.

In terms of my sense of hearing and vision, they were far more acute in the mountains than in the city, and I believe this is because of the shift of background noise, as described in the signal detection theory. This theory states that as the background stimulation decreases, so does the threshold needed to detect stimuli (reference). In other words, with fewer interfering stimuli coming from the environment and background it is much easier to detect stimuli. So, when in a place such as the mountains, where there is less background noise, it is easier to perceive relevant information. In my case I could more easily hear the deer because my sense of audition was more acute in the mountains. Compared to the city, where there are more distractions as far as sensory stimuli go, it would not have been quite as easy to detect the deer or other wildlife.

Colorado's wilderness. There, with the help of the signal detection theory, I will be able to better perceive the wildlife around me, since there will be less background noise to interfere with my hearing.