Psychology

Personal characteristics. Personal characteristics, such as past experience (learning) and motivation, may also affect the way stimuli are perceived.

• Learning (a musician quickly learns the pattern of tones that make a melody and detects a discordant note)

• Motivation (while an individual may not initially have a taste for espresso coffee, if the person's group of acquaintances perceives it as an “in” beverage, he or she may then start drinking espresso)