The document discusses the differences between sensation and perception. Sensation is defined as the passive process of bringing external stimuli into the body and brain through the senses. Perception is the active process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory information in the brain to give it meaning. Sensation involves sensory receptors detecting stimuli and transmitting neural signals, while perception occurs as the brain organizes and interprets those signals. The key differences are that sensation is passive intake of raw stimuli, while perception is the active interpretation and understanding of sensory information.
2. When we smell a fragrant flower, are we
experimenting sensation or perception?
In everyday language, the terms "sensation"
and "perception' are often used
interchangeably.
However, as you will see, they are very different
complementary processes.
3. Sensations can be defined as the passive
process of bringing information from the outside
world into the body and into the brain.
The process is passive because we do not have
to be consciously engaging in a "sensing"
process.
4. Sensation doesn't automatically occur; sensory
processes must first transform stimulation into
neural messages before any other processing is
formed.
This process of transferring energy is
termed transduction.
Stimuli detectors are important because one of their
abilities is to alert us to changes. They also hold authority
in sensory adaptation; the absolute threshold, the
terminal threshold, and the difference threshold.
5. ABSOLUTE THRESHOLD: is the lowest level that a
person will feel sensation.
DIFFERENTIAL THRESHOLD: is the minimal
difference that a person can detect between
two stimuli.
TERMINAL THRESHOLD: the intensity of
the stimulus is so high above the absolute
threshold that it causes the person pain.
The intensity of the stimulus is high enough that
the sensory receptors and neurons maybe
damaged.
6. Perception can be defined as the active
process of selecting, organizing, and
interpreting the information brought to the brain
by the senses.
Perception is how
one "receives" this
feeling or thought,
and gives meaning
to it through
memories and
emotions.
7. 1) Sensation occurs:
a) sensory organs absorb energy from a
physical stimulus in the environment.
b) sensory receptors convert this energy into
neural impulses and send them to the brain.
2) Perception follows:
a) the brain organizes the information and
translates it into something meaningful.
8. Sensation: The sense organs register the stimulus
– with it's physical properties, "decode" it, and
transform it into a neural signal that is then
transmitted to the brain.
Perception:
In the brain, the neural signal is organized and
interpreted. Perception involves "making sense"
of our sensations.
