In cognitive psychology, the process of interpreting and understanding one's environment is called ______.

• A. perception
• B. encoding
• C. retrieval
• D. sensation

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the question is asking for the term in cognitive psychology that refers to the process of interpreting and understanding one's environment.
2. Recall the definitions of the given options: 'encoding' refers to processing information into memory, 'retrieval' is accessing stored information, 'sensation' is the initial detection of stimuli, and 'perception' is the interpretation of sensory information.
3. Identify that the process of interpreting and making sense of sensory input aligns with the definition of 'perception'.
4. Confirm that 'perception' is the correct term that fits the description of understanding one's environment.
5. Choose 'perception' as the answer to complete the sentence.