Over The Past Three Weeks You Have Been Learning About Some

Over The Past Three Weeks You Have Been Learning About Some Significa

Over the past three weeks, you have been learning about some significant areas of psychology. In week 4, we studied sensation and perception, week 5 introduced learning theories, and week 6 discussed developmental psychology. As you reflect on these three areas of psychology, how might they reflect the idea that our understanding of reality and the world around us changes? Even though our understanding of reality changes based on development, conditioning, and the processes of sensation and perception, how do we know there is something real and permanent (Think about how a Christian perspective still identifies objective truth and reality in the midst of changes)?

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding the nature of reality has long been a central concern across philosophical, psychological, and theological domains. The three areas of psychology studied over the past weeks—sensation and perception, learning theories, and developmental psychology—highlight how human understanding of reality is dynamic, constructed, and influenced by internal and external factors. However, despite this variability and the subjective nature of perception and cognition, many philosophical and religious traditions, such as Christianity, argue for the existence of an objective, unchanging reality that underpins human experience. This essay explores how these psychological perspectives reflect the changing nature of our understanding of reality and how, despite these changes, one can believe in a permanent, objective truth.

In week 4, the study of sensation and perception demonstrates that our experience of reality is mediated through sensory organs and neural processes. Sensory information, such as light or sound, is transformed into neural signals that our brain interprets, constructing a perceptual reality that allows us to navigate and make sense of the environment (Goldstein, 2019). However, perception is not a direct mirror of external reality; it is influenced by prior experiences, expectations, and the limitations of our sensory systems. For instance, optical illusions reveal how the brain interprets sensory data in ways that may not accurately reflect the physical world. This indicates that our perceived reality is a subjective reconstruction, shaped by biological and psychological factors (Purves et al., 2018). Consequently, our understanding of what is ‘real’ is not an exact replication of external phenomena but a constructed experience, subject to change based on new perceptions or sensory deficits.

Similarly, week 5’s focus on learning theories underscores how our perceptions and understandings of reality are conditioned and reshaped throughout life. Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning exemplify how external stimuli and experiences modify our responses and mental models over time (McLeod, 2018). For example, a person who has experienced repeated failure may develop a perception of personal inadequacy, which influences how they interpret future situations. These learning processes demonstrate that our view of reality is adaptable; it is continuously evolving based on new information and experiences. While this plasticity allows for growth and adaptation, it also underscores the subjectivity of our understanding—what we perceive as 'real' is continually reconstructed through our interactions with the environment and our history of experiences.

Week 6’s focus on developmental psychology further emphasizes how perceptions of reality change across different life stages. From infancy to old age, individuals develop cognitive schemas, language, and social understanding that shape their interpretation of the world (Bjorklund & Ruiz, 2017). Piaget’s stages of cognitive development illustrate how children progress from concrete to abstract thinking, affecting their grasp of reality. For example, young children tend to see reality in black-and-white terms, whereas adults are capable of nuanced and abstract understandings. These developmental changes highlight that our grasp of reality is not static but grows and shifts over time, influenced by biological maturation and social experiences.

Despite these insights into the malleability of human perception and understanding, many philosophical and religious traditions affirm the existence of an objective, unchanging reality. From a Christian perspective, this is often articulated through the belief in a divine truth that exists independently of human perception or understanding (John 17:17). This viewpoint posits that our perceptions are limited and fallible, but they can be directed towards or revealed by divine revelation to access a permanent truth (Moltmann, 2010). The belief in an objective reality provides a foundation for faith, hope, and moral absolutes, even as our subjective experience of the world evolves. It suggests that perception and understanding are tools that can lead us closer to this truth but do not define it entirely.

Furthermore, scientific inquiry also supports the notion of an external reality that exists independently of our perceptions. The laws of nature, observable phenomena, and consistent physical processes point towards a reality that remains unchanged regardless of individual perception. While our understanding of this ultimate reality may be imperfect or partial, the existence of scientific laws and objective facts serve as evidence that something real and permanent underlies our transient perceptions (Dingus, 2019). This alignment between scientific and religious perspectives underscores a shared belief that our changing perceptions do not eliminate the existence of an unchanging, objective truth.

In conclusion, the fields of sensation and perception, learning, and development demonstrate how human understanding of reality is inherently fluid, shaped continuously by biological, psychological, and social processes. Our perceptions are subjective reconstructions rather than direct reflections of an external world, which accounts for the constant evolution of our understanding. Nonetheless, both philosophical and religious traditions, including Christianity, affirm that an objective, unchanging reality exists beyond our perceptual limitations. Recognizing this distinction allows us to appreciate the dynamic nature of human cognition while maintaining faith in a permanent truth that transcends individual perception and change.

References

• Bjorklund, D. F., & Ruiz, S. (2017). Child and adolescent development (8th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Dingus, M. (2019). Scientific realism and the philosophy of science. Springer.
• Goldstein, E. B. (2019). Sensation and perception (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• McLeod, S. (2018). Learning theories. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning.html
• Moltmann, J. (2010). The Christian doctrine of creation. Fortress Press.
• Purves, D., et al. (2018). Principles of neuroscience (6th ed.). Sinauer Associates.