Faculty Member: SAFINA BINTE ENAYET Psychosocial Counselor and Lecturer Counseling Unit BRAC University Date: 27/01/ /02/2016 PSY 101 Spring 2016 Lecture 5 and 6
Sensation and Perception sensation and perception is studied in the context of a variety of disciplines, it is about the 'window' between the outside (physical) world and inside world (mental states); information about the environment is collected and interpreted in 'sensory channels' (usually referred to as 'senses')
Sensation and Perception Sensations can be defined as the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment. Perception can be defined as the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting the sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER? 1) Sensation occurs: sensory organs absorb energy from a physical stimulus in the environment. sensory receptors convert this energy into neural impulses and send them to the brain. 2) Perception follows: the brain organizes the information and translates it into something meaningful.
Cont…
But what does "meaningful" mean? How do we know what information is important and should be focused on? Selective Attention - process of discriminating between what is important & is irrelevant (Seems redundant: selective-attention?), and is influenced by motivation. Perceptual Expectancy - how we perceive the world is a function of our past experiences, culture, and biological makeup.
Sensing the World: Some Basic Principles
Cont… Psychophysics Psychophysics can be defined as, the study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience.
Cont… Threshold - a dividing line between what has detectable energy and what does not. Difference Threshold - the minimum amount of stimulus intensity change needed to produce a noticeable change.
Cont… Sensory Adaptation Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Important senses
Vision: Eye
Visual Information Processing
Parallel processing
Visual Information Processing
Color Vision
Hearing
Touch The very survival of our species depend on it. Besides having physical needs for food, cleanliness and shelter, we also have touch needs.
The Importance of Touch What is the first sense that develops in the womb? The sense of touch What is the first language baby understands after being born? Touch and crying
Cont… On social level - Touching helps us to build relationships with one another. Touch has the potential to heal or break down, nurture or abuse.
Cont… Emotional level – Did you know that touch deprivation can be just as damaging as harmful touch? Touch can comfort us. Reassure us. Relax us. Even arouse us. Or it could make us very uneasy. Threaten us. Hurt us.
Cont… Cognitive level – Touch stimulates brain growth. Positive touch helps you to cope!
Cont… Physiological level (touch for child)- Receiving positive kind of touch will: regulate a baby's breathing improve circulation help in digestion improve sleep
Pain
Tastes
Smell For humans, the attractiveness of smells depends on learned associations. After a good experience becomes associated with a particular scent, people come to like that scent. The smell of the sea, the scent of a perfume, the aroma of loved one’s cloth can bring to mind a happy time
References Touch of-touch.html