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Perception vs. Assumption — What's the Difference?

By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 19, 2024
Perception involves interpreting sensory information to understand the environment, whereas assumption is accepting something as true without proof.
Perception vs. Assumption — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Perception and Assumption

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Key Differences

Perception is the process of receiving, interpreting, and organizing sensory information to make sense of the surroundings. This process relies heavily on sensory inputs like sight, hearing, and touch. On the other hand, assumption involves making a belief or taking an idea as true without seeking evidence or having sensory input to support it.
Perception is influenced by both physical stimuli from the environment and an individual's past experiences, which shape how the sensory information is interpreted. Whereas, assumptions are often based on past experiences, stereotypes, or common beliefs, without direct interaction or sensory confirmation at the moment.
Perception requires active engagement with the environment, as it involves directly sensing and processing information from the surroundings. In contrast, assumption does not require immediate sensory engagement and can be formed in the absence of direct or current sensory data.
Perception tends to be a more reliable source of information because it directly involves the senses and real-time data interpretation. Assumptions, however, can lead to misunderstandings or errors, as they do not necessarily rely on the immediate environment or factual verification.
Perception and assumption, while both involved in how we interpret and interact with the world, serve different cognitive functions. Perception helps in creating an accurate representation of the environment, while assumptions can fill gaps in knowledge but with a higher risk of inaccuracy.
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Comparison Chart

Basis

Sensory information
Beliefs without proof

Reliability

Generally more reliable
Less reliable

Engagement

Requires sensory interaction
Does not require sensory data

Influence

Influenced by environment and past experiences
Often based on past experiences or beliefs

Function

Provides accurate understanding of surroundings
Fills knowledge gaps, potentially inaccurately

Compare with Definitions

Perception

Process of interpreting sensory data.
His perception of the artwork changed as he learned more about its history.

Assumption

Basis for a theory or action.
The scientist’s experiment was based on the assumption that the temperature remained constant.

Perception

Personal interpretation of surroundings.
Each witness had a different perception of the event.

Assumption

Premise taken as true.
Under the assumption that all were in agreement, she proceeded with the plan.

Perception

Awareness influenced by stimuli.
Her perception of the music was influenced by her mood.

Assumption

Belief accepted without evidence.
His assumption that the wall was sturdy without checking almost caused an accident.

Perception

Cognitive understanding based on senses.
The perception of pain varies significantly between individuals.

Assumption

Accepting something as likely true.
They operated on the assumption that help would arrive soon.

Perception

Sensory interpretation of reality.
Children's perception of time often differs from that of adults.

Assumption

Conjecture without proof.
It's a risky move to base decisions on assumptions without factual backing.

Perception

Perception (from the Latin perceptio, meaning gathering or receiving) is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment.All perception involves signals that go through the nervous system, which in turn result from physical or chemical stimulation of the sensory system. For example, vision involves light striking the retina of the eye; smell is mediated by odor molecules; and hearing involves pressure waves.

Assumption

A thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
They made certain assumptions about the market
We're working on the assumption that the time of death was after midnight

Perception

The process of perceiving something with the senses
The perception of a faint sound.

Assumption

The action of taking on power or responsibility
The assumption of an active role in regional settlements

Perception

An instance of this
Sense perceptions.

Assumption

The reception of the Virgin Mary bodily into heaven. This was formally declared a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1950.

Perception

The process or state of being aware of something
The perception of time.

Assumption

Arrogance or presumption.

Perception

Insight or knowledge gained by thinking
The perception that inheritance must be coded in DNA.

Assumption

The act of taking to or upon oneself
Assumption of an obligation.

Perception

The capacity for such insight or knowledge
Theories of how to enhance human perception.

Assumption

The act of taking possession or asserting a claim
Assumption of command.

Perception

An insight or point of knowledge
The article is full of astute perceptions.

Assumption

The act of taking for granted
Assumption of a false theory.

Perception

An interpretation or impression; an opinion or belief
Doctors working to change the public perception of certain diseases.

Assumption

Something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition
A valid assumption.

Perception

The organisation, identification and interpretation of sensory information.

Assumption

(Archaic) Presumption; arrogance.

Perception

Conscious understanding of something.
Have perception of time

Assumption

(Logic) A minor premise.

Perception

Vision (ability)

Assumption

Assumption(Christianity)The taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven in body and soul after her death, observed as a feast on August 15.

Perception

Acuity

Assumption

The act of assuming, or taking to or upon oneself; the act of taking up or adopting.
His assumption of secretarial duties was timely.

Perception

(cognition) That which is detected by the five senses; not necessarily understood (imagine looking through fog, trying to understand if you see a small dog or a cat); also that which is detected within consciousness as a thought, intuition, deduction, etc.

Assumption

The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; a supposition; an unwarrantable claim.
Their assumption of his guilt disqualified them from jury duty.

Perception

The act of perceiving; cognizance by the senses or intellect; apperhension by the bodily organs, or by the mind, of what is presented to them; discernment; apperhension; cognition.

Assumption

The thing supposed; a postulate, or proposition assumed; a supposition.

Perception

The faculty of perceiving; the faculty, or peculiar part, of man's constitution by which he has knowledge through the medium or instrumentality of the bodily organs; the act of apperhending material objects or qualities through the senses; - distinguished from conception.
Matter hath no life nor perception, and is not conscious of its own existence.

Assumption

(logic) The minor or second proposition in a categorical syllogism.

Perception

The quality, state, or capability, of being affected by something external; sensation; sensibility.
This experiment discovereth perception in plants.

Assumption

The taking of a person up into heaven.

Perception

An idea; a notion.

Assumption

A festival in honor of the ascent of the Virgin Mary into heaven, celebrated on 15 August.

Perception

The representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept

Assumption

(rhetoric) Assumptio.

Perception

A way of conceiving something;
Luther had a new perception of the Bible

Assumption

The act of assuming, or taking to or upon one's self; the act of taking up or adopting.
The assumption of authority.

Perception

The process of perceiving

Assumption

The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; supposition; unwarrantable claim.
This gives no sanction to the unwarrantable assumption that the soul sleeps from the period of death to the resurrection of the body.
That calm assumption of the virtues.

Perception

Knowledge gained by perceiving;
A man admired for the depth of his perception

Assumption

The thing supposed; a postulate, or proposition assumed; a supposition.
Hold! says the Stoic; your assumption's wrong.

Perception

Becoming aware of something via the senses

Assumption

The minor or second proposition in a categorical syllogism.

Assumption

The taking of a person up into heaven.

Assumption

A statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn;
On the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not to play

Assumption

A hypothesis that is taken for granted;
Any society is built upon certain assumptions

Assumption

The act of taking possession of or power over something;
His assumption of office coincided with the trouble in Cuba
The Nazi assumption of power in 1934
He acquired all the company's assets for ten million dollars and the assumption of the company's debts

Assumption

Celebration in the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary's being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Dormition in the Eastern Orthodox church

Assumption

Audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to;
He despised them for their presumptuousness

Assumption

(Christianity) the taking up of the body and soul of the Virgin Mary when her earthly life had ended

Assumption

The act of assuming or taking for granted;
Your assumption that I would agree was unwarranted

Common Curiosities

What is perception?

Perception is the cognitive process of interpreting and organizing sensory information to understand one’s environment.

How can one improve their perceptual accuracy?

Improving perceptual accuracy can be achieved by being more attentive to sensory inputs, considering multiple perspectives, and being aware of biases that might distort interpretation.

What is an assumption?

An assumption is a belief or idea accepted as true without proof or substantial evidence.

Can assumptions affect perceptions?

Yes, assumptions can influence how we perceive the world, as they can shape expectations and interpretations of sensory information.

What role do perceptions play in decision-making?

Perceptions play a crucial role in decision-making by providing a sensory-based understanding of the environment, which helps in making informed choices.

How does perception differ from assumption?

Perception is based on direct sensory information and interaction with the environment, while assumptions are beliefs formed without the need for current sensory data.

Why is perception considered more reliable than assumption?

Perception is deemed more reliable because it is directly influenced by real-time sensory data, whereas assumptions can be based on incorrect or outdated beliefs.

Is it possible to have a perception without assumptions?

It's challenging, as our perceptions are often influenced by prior knowledge and experiences, which include assumptions.

How can assumptions be verified?

Assumptions can be verified through gathering evidence, conducting experiments, or obtaining more concrete information.

What risks do assumptions carry?

Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings, errors in judgment, and potentially flawed decisions if not substantiated by evidence.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

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