bottom-up processing
information processing in which incoming stimulus data initiate and determine the higher level processes involved in their recognition, interpretation, and categorization. For example, in vision, features would be combined into objects, and objects into scenes, recognition of which would be based only on the information in the stimulus input. Typically, perceptual or cognitive mechanisms use bottom-up processing when information is unfamiliar or highly complex. Also called bottom-up analysis; data-driven processing. Compare top-down processing. See also shallow processing.