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HUMAN SENSES

HUMAN SENSES: THE PROCESSES OF STIMULATION, SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

When someone smells coffee, is he or she having a sensation or a perception? In every day language these two terms are used interchangeably; however, in technical terms sensation and perception are very distinct complementary processes associated with the human senses. According to Goldstein (2003), the term "sensation' refers to a passive process in which information from the outside world is brought inward to the body and the brain; while "perception" refers to an active mental process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting the information that has been brought to the brain via the senses.

Regarding the process of sensation and perception, Schiffman (2001) points out that while they are different processes, they nonetheless work together. Specifically, sensory organs associated with the senses absorb energy from a physical stimulus in the environment (sensation) and sensory receptors then convert this energy into neural impulses and send them to the brain. The brain then organizes the information and translates it into something meaningful.

An example of the foregoing would be the sense of smell and taste. Beauchamp and Bartoshuk (1997) point out that sensory cells located in the nose, mouth, and throat are involved in both the sensation and interpretation of smell and taste. Microscopic molecules released by the substances (e.g., coffee) first stimulate the sensory cells which is to say we have a sensation (information contacting sensory receptors such as the eyes, ears, tongue, etc). Once the cells detect the molecules they send messages to the brain where the smells are identified. Interestingly, smell and taste are so intermingled that, as Beauchamp and Bartoshuk (1997) point out, most people are very surprised to learn that flavors are recognized mainly through the sense of smell. Along with texture, temperature, and the sensations from the comm...

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HUMAN SENSES. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 06:40, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1688018.html