Other Senses AP Psychology| Mrs. Hensley

Touch When our skin is indented, pierced or experiences a change in temperature, our sense of touch is activated. We have different types of nerve endings in every patch of skin Some respond to pressure while others respond to temperature We sense placement of touch by the place on our body where the nerve endings fire. Nerve endings are more concentrated in different parts of our body. If we want to feel something, we usually use our fingertip If touch or temperature receptors are stimulated sharply, pain receptors will fire Pain warns us of potential dangers

Gate-Control Theory Explains how we experience pain Some pain messages have higher priority than others When a higher priority message is sent, the gate swings open for it and swings shut for a low priority message is sent

Taste (Gustation) Chemicals from the food we eat are absorbed by taste buds on our tongue Taste buds are located on the papillae (bumps) Taste buds are located all over the tongue Sense 5 different tastes Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami (savory, meaty taste) People differ in their ability to taste food

Smell (or Olfaction) Sense of smell depends on chemicals emitted by substances Molecules settle in a mucous membrane at the top of each nostril and are absorbed by receptor cells located there As many as 100 different types of smell receptors may exist Receptor cells are linked to the olfactory bulb which gathers messages from the olfactory receptor cells and sends info to the brain Olfactory bulb connect to the brain at the amygdala and then to the hippocampus (makes up the limbic system) Connection to the limbic system may explain why smell is a trigger for memories

Body Position Senses Vestibular Sense: how our body is oriented in space, keeps track of overall orientation of body Kinesthetic Sense: position and orientation of specific body parts Rollercoaster ride may cause dizziness and nauseous reaction b/c the brain receives confusing signals about body position