Perceptual Interpretation Through Top-Down Processing

Perceptual interpretation can be significantly influenced by various psychological factors, including expectations, context, and prior experiences. Consider the following situation in a psychological study: Participants were shown a visual stimulus that was ambiguous in nature, such as a figure that could be perceived either as a young woman or an old woman, depending on their interpretation. Researchers found that participants’ backgrounds and previous experiences led to varied interpretations of the same stimulus. Based on this scenario, which of the following best describes the concept that might help explain why participants had different perceptions?