 Selection, the first stage in the perception process. Selection is the process by which you select or choose what you want to attend to and what you want to disregard. Factors that influence selection are stimuli or motives. Stimulus is defined as anything that causes sense organs, such as the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin to respond, function, or become active. Stimuli is the plural form of stimulus. Intense stimuli often attract your attention. Here are some examples of intense stimuli. Bright lights are colors, loud or piercing sounds, strong odors or scents, spicy, salty, or sweet flavors, hot surfaces or painful contact. A change or contrast in stimuli will catch your attention. Repetitious stimuli will attract your attention. Here are some examples of repetitious stimuli. Flashing red lights, ringing telephone, whirring siren, chiming doorbell. Motive is defined as an incentive, intention, impulse, or inner drive that causes you to act in a certain way. Selection is often influenced by your motives. Here are some examples of motives. When you are tired, you are more likely to notice comfortable furniture, such as a padded recliner or sofa, as opposed to a plastic chair. If you have a job interview at 1 p.m., you are more likely to notice clocks or watches if you are running late. Three types of selection are selective perception, selective exposure, and selective retention. Selective perception. You tend to hear, see, and believe what you want to hear, see, and believe. For example, you see your friend as a warm, friendly, peaceful, and law-abiding person. The police have arrested your friend for allegedly killing someone. Would you believe that your friend was capable of such a crime? Selective exposure. You select what you want to expose yourself to based on your beliefs, attitudes, values, and expectations. For example, if you enjoy tennis, you tend to play tennis, associate with others who enjoy tennis, attend tennis matches when possible, watch tennis on television, or purchase tennis magazines. Selective retention. You tend to remember what reinforces your beliefs, attitudes, values, and expectations. For example, if you are an avid Green Bay Packer football fan, you would more likely remember the Packers' win-and-loss record than you would the Tennessee Titans record. Let's review some selection terms. Selective exposure. You volunteered your services to the Salvation Army because you like helping others. Intense stimuli. You wake up early because bright sunlight is streaming through your bedroom window. Selective perception. Students who drop out of college are lazy and have no ambition. Repetitious stimuli. Your dripping faucet keeps you awake. Motive. Because you're hungry, you notice fast food restaurants and billboards advertising food. Selective retention. You remembered the melody to a song performed by your favorite musician. You have completed this activity, selection, the first stage in the perception process.