Final answer:
Signal detection theory explains how we identify necessary stimuli amidst background noise, influenced by factors such as context and motivation. It demonstrates how our perception can be subjective, being shaped not only by the actual stimuli but also by our mood, attitude, and past experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept you're referring to is known as signal detection theory, which addresses the ability to discern a necessary or meaningful stimulus amidst a background of noise or irrelevant stimuli. This theory takes into consideration not only the strength of the stimuli but also the context such as the setting, physical state, mood, and attitude. For example, a mother may wake up to the sound of her baby murmuring but remain asleep through other louder noises. This variance in perception is influenced by the mother's internal state and motivation to respond to her baby's needs. Similarly, air traffic controllers leverage signal detection theory to increase their accuracy in identifying airplanes among the numerous signals on their radar screens.
Motivation plays a significant role in how we perceive our environment. For instance, thinking you hear your phone ring while expecting an important call is an experience where motivation affects sensory perception. The sensitivity to different sensory stimuli is integrated with memories of past stimuli and the state of the person, resulting in a subjective and sometimes distorted perception of reality.
In summary, the perception of sensory information is not solely based on the stimuli themselves, but is a complex process involving integration with other stimuli, memories, and the emotional and physical state of the individual. This idea links closely to concepts in psychology and cognitive sciences that explore how we encode and transmit sensory information and the sensory memory system that filters out non-essential stimuli.