Understanding Misperception: Definition, Examples, and Psychological Implications

Misperceive is a verb that means to perceive something incorrectly or inaccurately. It can also refer to a mistaken or inaccurate interpretation or understanding of something.

For example, if someone looks at a picture and thinks it's a cat when it's actually a dog, they have misperceived the image. Similarly, if someone hears a joke and misunderstands the punchline, they may misperceive the humor or intent behind it.

In psychology, misperception can refer to a variety of cognitive biases and errors in perception, such as illusions, hallucinations, or distortions of reality. It can also be used to describe situations where people misinterpret or overlook important information due to biases, preconceptions, or other factors.