Pronunciation: [pəsˈɛpt] (IPA) 
The word "percept" is spelled with the letter "p" followed by "er", which represents the schwa sound /ə/. The next two letters are "c" and "e", which both represent the soft /s/ sound, followed by "p" representing the voiceless /p/ sound. The final consonant is "t", indicating the voiceless /t/ sound. In IPA phonetic transcription, "percept" is represented as /pərˈsɛpt/.
A percept refers to an individual's conscious, cognitive interpretation or awareness of sensory experiences or stimuli from their surroundings. It is the mental representation that is created in the mind as a result of processing and organizing sensory information received through the senses such as sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
The process of perception involves the brain receiving, filtering, and analyzing sensory input to construct a meaningful and coherent understanding of the external world. Percepts are subjective and can vary from person to person, as they are influenced by various factors such as individual experiences, beliefs, and cultural background.
The formation of percepts is a complex and dynamic procedure carried out by the brain, involving the integration of sensory data with existing knowledge and memory. It allows individuals to make sense of their surroundings, recognize objects, events, and people, and respond accordingly.
Percepts can be influenced by illusions, which occur when the brain misinterprets or distorts sensory input, leading to a perceived reality that deviates from the actual physical reality. Additionally, percepts can be influenced by biases, emotions, and cognitive processes, leading to subjective interpretations and judgments.
In summary, a percept is an individual's conscious mental interpretation or understanding of sensory experiences derived from the external environment, in which the brain integrates sensory information with existing knowledge and memory to construct a meaningful representation of reality.
The thing perceived; the complete mental image, formed by the process of perception, of an object present in space.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "percept" comes from the Latin word "perceptum", which is the past participle of the verb "percipere". "Percipere" is formed by combining the prefix "per" meaning "through" or "thoroughly" and the verb "capere" meaning "to take" or "to seize". Therefore, the etymology of "percept" suggests the idea of taking in or seizing something through perception or understanding.
