Module 21

embodied cognition

in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments. (p. 211)

gate-control theory

the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain. (p. 203)

kinesthesia

the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts. (p. 209)

sensory interaction

the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste. (p. 210)

vestibular sense

the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance. (p. 209)