Gestalt's Laws of Organization also discusses the influences of perception. These influences are bottom-up processing and top-down processing.

Bottom-up processing is when individuals process information one bit of data at a time (Hergenhahn, 2009). Eventually these bits of data combine to form the person's perception. Kind of like learning how to know if you want to be friends with someone at work. You give it time and pick up piece by piece until you have a good understanding of your co-worker. Then after a while you have enough data to gain a perception of your co-worker. Then you can decide whether you want to be friends or not.

Top-down processing is taking previous knowledge and experience and apply it to recognize an entire perception (Hergenhahn, 2009). Take your co-worker. You have previous knowledge of people like him or her. Therefore you use this previous experience and knowledge and base your perception of this co-worker. Then the decision is made to be friends.

Which one of these perception processing explains how you gain perception on people or on life?

Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009). An introduction to the history of psychology (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Then a 150 to 200 word write up on the following. with a citation

This week's lecture notes discuss motivation and emotion. This topic brings up an interesting conversation regarding Maslow's Law of Hierarchy. This law states that humans have basic needs and these needs are based off the five stages of physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization (Hergenhahn, 2009). These needs are different per human. Maslow did state that humans are motivated based on what will satisfy them at that moment in time (Hergenhahn, 2009).

Here is a summary according to Maslow and cited by Hergenhahn (2009) (first word is the top of the pyramid):

Self-actualization (fulfilling the need of knowing what the true meaning of life is and what is important in life)

Esteem (status, self-respect, confidence, respect from others)

Social (being loved by family and friends, happy at work, friends with classmates or co-workers)

Safety (feeling secured, protected, stable, not fearful)

Physiological (enough food, water, sleep, etc.)

From viewing this pyramid. Where are you? What is your motivation? Why?