Understanding

Understanding

Sensation, Perception and Interpretation

A common obstacle to communication and mutual understanding is misinterpretation. As simple as it may seem, even the same words may actually carry dissimilar meanings for different people. While attention has often been directed towards differences due to cultural, educational and generational backgrounds, this may fail to represent the whole picture. For example, simple associations and memories may carry diverse meanings for someone who usually eats red apples and likes them, versus somebody else who instinctively pictures the fruit as green, sour and unpleasant due to personal allergies.

Overthinking may be counterproductive. Image: Copyright © Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

The saying goes that relationships are built on trust and communication, so at least in interpersonal and public relations, such issues are quite important. Advice on how to communicate better abounds, but with a lot of contradictions. Some maintain that one should always use first person pronouns “me, I” and avoid the “blame game” using the second person pronoun “you”. Conversely, others state the reverse, claiming that the “you view” makes the interlocutor feel that the conversation is focused on them, which in turn makes them feel appreciated, and thus more open and receptive to suggestions. Again, a potential argument may emerge that one may be uncomfortable being the center of attention, so the discussion is really a complicated one.

Nonetheless, aside from psychological, there are also neuroscientific factors to interpretation. In the brain, likewise, interpretation is no simple matter. In general, before something can be interpreted it has to pass the sensation and perception steps.

Young woman reflecting at dawn. Image: Copyright © Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

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