Final answer:
The concepts of sensory reception and perception describe how stimuli are detected by receptors and interpreted by the central nervous system, with signal detection theory explaining the effects of motivation and expectations on perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sensory Reception and Perception
Sensory reception is crucial for detecting stimuli in the environment, which involves the activation of sensory receptors by various forms of stimuli such as mechanical, chemical, or temperature changes. These receptors' receptive fields enable them to respond to stimuli at different proximities - touch requires contact, hearing operates over moderate distances, and vision can perceive stimuli from vast distances. Once a stimulus activates a receptor, it is then changed into electrochemical signals and relayed to the central nervous system (CNS).
Perception occurs when these signals are integrated with other sensory information or higher cognitive functions leading to a conscious understanding of the stimulus. This involves both top-down and bottom-up processing, where the former is influenced by prior knowledge and expectations, and the latter is driven purely by the environmental stimuli. The concept of signal detection theory explains how motivation and expectations can affect one's ability to discern a stimulus amidst noise, exemplified by scenarios such as a mother awakening to her baby's murmur or air traffic controllers discerning airplane blips among radar signals.
Overall, the processes of sensation and perception are comprehensive systems that enable individuals to understand and interact with the world around them, influenced by a combination of bottom-up sensory data and top-down cognitive processes including beliefs, prejudices, and life experiences.