Introduction
Like many other living beings, humans are allowed to perceive the world around them. Although some people cannot perceive the world in the traditional sense, most perceive it through sensation and perception. The phenomena of sensation and perception are inextricably linked with each other. Thanks to them, a person at least understands that he is a person. Despite this, this is far from all that perception and sensation are capable of.
Sensation and Perception and Their Differences and Similarities
To understand what sensation and perception are capable of, it is necessary to know their definitions. Sensitivity is the process of detecting changes in the environment, and perception is a process that interprets these changes (Foley et al., 2020). These two processes are closely related because they both detect stimuli that human sense organs detect. The senses detect various types of stimuli, including light, sound, and touch. However, they all see physical objects or events that have occurred in the external world.
At first glance, it may seem that this is almost the same, which is fundamentally untrue. The sensation is defined as any detection made by a sensory receptor organ. The sensation can be tactile or proprioceptive; proprioception refers to a person’s ability to feel body parts such as fingers and toes (Foley et al., 2020). Tactile sensation occurs on surfaces when an object rubs against a receptor organ, such as the skin or hair follicles; it also appears on soft tissue, like clothing and blankets, that rub against one’s body parts.
Perception is when information from the outside world enters the brain and becomes processed to understand what is happening (Foley et al., 2020). One may be walking down the street and suddenly see someone get mugged right in front of them; this person has just experienced something traumatic. One’s brain then combines all its sensations over time into a single experience called perception.
Sensory Thresholds and Adaptation
Concepts such as sensory thresholds and adaptation are worth noting to understand sensation better. Sensory thresholds are the slightest stimulus that can be detected by a sense organ (Foley et al., 2020). Receptors mediate the detection of stimuli in the sensory cells, which respond to stimuli only when they exceed a threshold value. That is why humans, for example, cannot see infrared radiation, also known as heat; the spectrum of this type of radiation exceeds the visual threshold.
Sensory adaptation alters sensations in response to changes in environmental conditions (Foley et al., 2020). For example, if one keeps their eyes closed for a specific time, they will see better in the darkness. As a reverse model, if one spends a lot of time in a brightly lit room and then is placed in a dark room, they will not be able to see anything.
Conclusion
In summary, sensation, perception, and sensory adaptation are integral aspects of a modern person’s life. After all, if one looks into the past, it is due to transformation that humans could become the highest beings in the food chain. Adaptability enables a person to see better in low-light conditions and notice finer details around them.
In addition, sensory adaptation manifests itself not only in the visual sense but also in other senses. For example, a woman gradually becomes accustomed to the pain of childbirth, or people in hot countries tolerate heat more efficiently. Many more examples could illustrate the importance of sensory adaptation, but one thing is clear: it is an integral part of everyone’s life.
References
Foley, H. J., Bates, M., & Matlin, M. W. (2020). Sensation and perception. Routledge.