Define the terms sensation, perception, apperception, and creative synthesis as they were used in Wundt’s theory.
Wundt proposed that the mental experiences are categorized as the feelings and sensations. Feelings and sensation are the elements contribute to the consciousness. According to him, sensations are caused by the stimulation of a sense organ. Stimulated sense organ transmits the pulses to the brain.
Sensations are further described by the terms like intensity and modality. Modality further helps in analyzing the qualities of the sensation for example, degree of sweetness, sourness and bitterness helps in describing the taste sensation.
According to the Wundt, perception is governed by the factors including past experiences of the individuals, physical stimulus as well as the individual’s anatomical make up. Perception is a type of passive process. The combination of these factors influences and determines the perceptual field of an individual in a given period of time.
Apperception and attention go together, as whatever attended is apperceived as well. Apperception is voluntary as well as active in nature. Apperceptions are controlled by the individuals. According to the Wundt, by continuous exercising his own will an individual can direct their own attention.
Wundt proposed the phenomenon called as the creative synthesis in, which an individual can arrange and rearrange the attended elements according to his will and the arrangement and rearrangement pattern never experienced actually before it results. The concept of the creative synthesis qualitatively separated the psychology from the physical sciences.