Study Notes on Sensation and Perception

Sensation and Perception

Chapter 4: Sensation vs Perception

• Sensation:

  • Defined as the stimulation of the sense organs.
  • Example: Light rays entering the eye.
  • Stimulus: The detectable input from the environment.
  • Example: A mosquito landing on the arm.

• Perception:

  • Defined as the selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input.
  • Example: Translating sensory input into something meaningful.
    • Statement: "I am a perceptive person."
    • Example: If you see a frown, your brain starts to interpret what is wrong.

Synesthesia

• Condition:
  • Synesthesia is a condition where senses become paired during perceptual or cognitive activities.
    • Example: Associating specific colors with specific days, e.g., "Friday is purple."
  • Emotional Synesthesia:
    • Definition: When stimuli are involuntarily associated with feelings that are linked to emotional responses (e.g. associating disgust with a particular word).
  • Grapheme-Color Synesthesia:
    • Prevalence: 6-23% of the population has this condition.
    • Example: When a person sees the letter "S" on paper, they visualize the color magenta.

Psychophysics

• Definition:
  • Psychophysics is the study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experiences.
  • It investigates how sensation begins with a detectable stimulus.
  • This concept is connected to structuralism, a psychological theory that aims to understand the structure of the mind by analyzing its components.