Final answer:
Bruner's Model of the Perceptual Process suggests that the brain actively constructs a summarized perception of the world, influenced by Gestalt principles and past experiences, rather than presenting a full and complete picture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jerome Bruner's model of the perceptual process is grounded in the idea that we do not present a full or complete picture of the world; rather, we construct a summary that highlights what is most relevant to our survival and what we are likely to care about. This process is influenced by a range of factors such as our personalities, past experiences, and expectations. Through Gestalt principles of perception, our brain forms 'perceptual hypotheses,' which are essentially educated guesses that we make to interpret sensory information.
This interpretation has both a bottom-up component, stemming from the sensory input itself, and a top-down process, which involves our pre-existing knowledge and expectation. As we encounter visual stimuli, like the checkerboard example, we might believe that our brain captures a precise representation, like a camera, but it's more accurate to say the brain is constructing an understanding based on a set of inferences. Sensory processing in the brain begins at the primary sensory cortex, moves through an association area, and concludes in a multimodal integration area where more complex discernments are made.
Overall, perception is not merely a passive absorption of information but an active process of constructing reality based on a multitude of sensory inputs and cognitive processes, shaping how we understand and interact with the world around us.