PERCEIVED REALITY

DEFINITION:

An individual's subjective interpretation and understanding of reality as filtered through perception, experience, belief, emotion, memory, identity, and information.

FUNCTION:

Creates the internal model through which a person interprets events, makes decisions, forms beliefs, and navigates existence.

EXAMPLES:

  • Political worldviews
  • Religious interpretations
  • Cultural assumptions
  • Personal narratives
  • Media-influenced perceptions
  • Social identities
  • Individual belief systems

RELATED SYMBOLS:

RELATED SYSTEMS:

NOTES:

Perceived reality is not reality itself, but the model of reality constructed by an individual. This model is continuously updated through experience, information, social interaction, emotion, and belief.

CONTROL TEXT OBSERVATION:

People respond primarily to their perceived reality rather than objective reality. The interpretation of an event often has greater influence on behavior than the event itself.