What is sensation in psychology: its types and properties. 13 interesting facts

What are sensations? To talk about sensations means to refer to the human body and all its nerve endings that help us get in touch with the world inside us and the world outside us.

Various types of sensations refer to the basic direct experiences caused by simple isolated stimuli. Sensation is also defined as the response of the sense organs to a stimulus. These are conscious captures of the properties of objects, things and phenomena.

Sensation is only the first stage of cognition, which through thought transforms data into ideas, concepts, laws, etc. And those, in turn, more deeply reflect the objective world and the accuracy of which is verified by practice. A sensation occurs when a stimulus impacts a receptor.

Although the concepts of sensation and perception are often used interchangeably, they differ in many details.

Sensation is the experience experienced by a stimulus in the form of a response to a sensory experiment, while perception is the interpretation of sensation that gives meaning and order.

Definition

Sensation is a spontaneous mental phenomenon that arises as a result of the direct influence of things of the objective world on the sense organs (analyzers) of animals and humans, an influence that is subjectively felt as the quality of the things themselves (red, cold, prickly, etc.). Sensation is secondary to material reality.

The term sensation has several meanings, for example it can refer to the impression that an object makes through the senses, that is, it becomes the immediate response of the sense organs when they receive a stimulus.

It also alludes to the surprise effect that people have when they are surprised by something or someone. Another definition refers to an intuition or feeling that an event or problem may occur to a person.

Sensation involves the optimal functioning of the senses and nervous system, and under normal conditions it results in what we can see, for example, red when it is red and green when it is green.

Sensory adaptation and interaction of sensations

The change in sensitivity that occurs as a result of the adaptation of a sensory organ to the stimuli acting on it is called sensory adaptation. There are three modalities of sensory adaptation:

1. Complete disappearance of sensation during prolonged action of the stimulus. Examples of this include: adaptation to the smell of the olfactory analyzer in a person who has been working with odorous substances for a long time; auditory adaptation to constantly exposed noise, etc.

2. Dulling of sensation under the influence of a strong stimulus. For example, a temporary decrease in the sensitivity of the visual analyzer after a person moves from a dimly lit room to bright light conditions (light adaptation). This modality is called negative, as it leads to a decrease in the sensitivity of the analyzer.

Adaptation to light and darkness has a negative effect, especially in dim lighting conditions. Under these conditions, the reaction time of vehicle drivers increases, the localization of moving objects worsens, which often leads to emergency situations on the roads.

3. Increased sensitivity under the influence of a weak stimulus. For example, when a weak stimulus is applied to the auditory analyzer in conditions of complete silence (the auditory analyzer begins to detect rather weak sound stimuli - auditory adaptation).

This pattern should be taken into account in investigative (judicial) practice when assessing witness testimony. For example, it is known that complete adaptation to darkness occurs after 30–40 minutes. Sometimes an investigator may show unreasonable distrust of different testimonies of two witnesses to the same event. If one witness was fully adapted to the dark, and the other was in these conditions for only a few minutes, then the testimony of the latter will be inaccurate and incomplete. However, this should not be a reason for the investigator to show distrust of him.

All types of sensations are not isolated from each other, so their intensity depends not only on the strength of the stimulus and the level of adaptation of the receptor, but also on the stimuli currently affecting other sense organs. A change in the sensitivity of the analyzer under the influence of irritation of other senses is called the interaction of sensations (Fig. 7).

Interaction of sensations

Interaction between sensations of the same type. Thus, gray on a white background will look darker, and surrounded by black it will look lighter.

Interaction between sensations of different types. Thus, sound stimulation can sharpen the work of the visual analyzer, increasing its sensitivity to light stimuli

Increased sensitivity as a result of interaction between analyzers or exercise (sensitization)

The appearance, under the influence of irritation of one analyzer, of a sensation characteristic of other analyzers (synesthesia)

Rice. 7. Interaction of sensations

Sensitization (from Latin sensibilis - sensitive) is an increase in the sensitivity of analyzers under the influence of internal (mental) factors. Sensitization or exacerbation of sensitivity may be caused by:

1. interaction of sensations (for example, weak taste sensations increase visual sensitivity). This is explained by the interconnection of analyzers, their systematic work;
2. physiological factors (the state of the body, the introduction of certain substances into the body; for example, vitamin A is essential to increase visual sensitivity);
3. the expectation of a particular influence, its significance, a special attitude towards distinguishing certain stimuli;
4. exercise, experience (thus, tasters, by specially exercising their taste and olfactory sensitivity, distinguish between different types of wines and teas and can even determine when and where the product was made).

This mechanism of interaction of sensations can influence the quality of the investigative experiment, the completeness and objectivity of testimony. For example, it is known that visual sensitivity is significantly reduced when the olfactory receptor is exposed to an unpleasant odor. This circumstance must be taken into account when examining the scene of the incident, a corpse with significant cadaveric changes, and during exhumation. In such cases, in order to complete the entire volume of work at the proper level, the investigative team needs to take breaks from work.

In people deprived of any type of sensitivity, this deficiency is compensated (compensated) by increasing the sensitivity of other organs (for example, increasing auditory and olfactory sensitivity in the blind). This is the so-called compensatory sensitization.

Synesthesia (from the gr. synaisthesis - joint sensation) is an associative non-modal sensation that accompanies the real one. For example, some people, under the influence of sound stimuli, may experience vivid visual images, different taste sensations, etc.

When sensations interact, a phenomenon called contrast of sensations can occur. This occurs in cases where the same stimulus is perceived by the analyzer depending on the qualitative characteristics of another stimulus that acted on the same analyzer simultaneously or sequentially (for example, a sequential contrast of taste sensations). Contrasting phenomena often lead to errors in sensations, which, in turn, lead to errors in testimony. For example, witnesses to one crime stated that the perpetrator was wearing a white suit and was very tall; in reality, they saw a man of average height, wearing a gray suit against a black background. Knowledge of the patterns of sensations contributes to more qualified detection of crimes.

In the work of a lawyer, sensations form the basis of a more complex process of perceiving objects and phenomena; they are directly related to the performance of professional activities and have a significant impact on it.

Characteristics and properties of sensations

• Characteristics:
• Sensation is an innate phenomenon . It has not been fully studied. You are born with the ability to receive sensations.
• The need for intensity or strength of sensation so that the stimulus is captured and its variations can be appreciated. The intensity of the sensation depends on the intensity of the stimulus. There is a difference in intensity that a stimulus requires in order for the subject to become aware of it. This is called a threshold.
• Duration: the time of constancy of sensation, that is, irritation of receptors. For example, auditory and visual sensations are short-lived, but painful sensations are long-lasting.
• The affective tone or state of mind of a subject, determined by the motives, expectations and experiences that he experiences and which influence both the predispositions and the ability to perceive, as well as the intensity of stimuli that must be captured and interpreted in the psychological field and they are individual.
• Sensational content: Content influences the perception of stimuli according to the relationships it has with motives, interests, expectations, and affective tone. We usually grasp with greater speed and intensity what interests us. And sometimes the same thing happens with what we think is going against us.

Properties of sensations:

Development of sensations: why and how to do it?

Sensitivity is innate and unconditionally reflexive, but it is also a potential personality trait. If you do not develop your sensory organization, you will certainly not lose the ability to see, feel, hear, etc. However, these abilities will be limited and will not reveal the full potential inherent in you by nature.

But if you learn to train your senses, you can discover a whole new world, full of color and variety, and enjoy truly beautiful things that are quite simple, but at the same time inaccessible to someone who has insufficiently developed sensitivity: for example, having fun from classical music or the subtlest notes of wine.

In addition, sensitivity to external stimuli plays a huge role in some professional fields. For example, it is simply necessary for musicians, artists, perfumers, chefs, etc. Only those people who have developed sensitivity are able to achieve non-trivial success in these areas. Therefore, if you want to have a perfect ear for music or unsurpassed artistic taste, you will need to develop your sensitivity.

There are two main ways to improve your sensations - developing the sensitivity of your analyzers and improving your ability to discriminate, i.e. the ability to clearly differentiate the various properties of objects in the surrounding world.

The development of sensations is based on the limitation of the initial generalization of excitations in the cortical sections of the analyzers through the development of special differentiations. Therefore, in order to improve your sensations, when performing any activity, you need to highlight individual elements in it and focus your attention on them, and not on the entire process as a whole.

For example, if we talk about ear for music, then to develop it you can either increase the threshold of your auditory sensitivity, or learn to distinguish in complex sound stimuli their component parts - musical tones. The optimal way would be to improve both of these components at the same time - this is how you can develop your sensations to the maximum extent.

With regular exercise, you can significantly improve your sensitivity and learn to perceive the world at a higher level. In the psychological method known as “Integrative Linguistic-Psychological Training (ILPT),” such exercises are called psychotechnics. Here are some of them :

• Make up stories by listening to noises (this could be whispering, whistling, the hissing of snakes, rustling leaves, etc.)
• Guess various multi-component scents blindfolded, associate them with your memories or fantasies, and then make sketches of the resulting associations.
• Bring your paintings to life. Describe them (preferably in a foreign language) and express the emotions you feel from them. Try to feel all the sensations that arise: perhaps you feel cold or dry, hear birds singing, smell the sea...
• Listen to musical works and imagine them in color (for example, a fragment of “The Spanish Dance” by E. Grandos, “The Swan” by C. Saint-Saëns or R. Wagner’s music for the opera “Twilight of the Gods”).

Despite the fact that all the proposed exercises have a specific focus on the development of one channel of perception, they are multifunctional and allow you to improve all types of senses at the same time.

In addition, you can use the following methods to increase the sensitivity of analyzers :

• Visual acuity is promoted by taking vitamins A, E and C (you can take them in the form of dietary supplements or add foods rich in them to your diet), as well as eye exercises.
• To improve your hearing, take magnesium, listen to different genres of music, learn to sing or play a musical instrument. Try to spend more time in silence and avoid noisy places.
• The easiest way to improve your sense of smell is through the practice of aromatherapy: inhale a few pleasant smells every day, and when you learn to distinguish them, increase the number of them.
• To learn to better distinguish tastes, reduce your salt and sugar intake, avoid processed foods, flavor enhancers, etc., because... These components negatively affect taste sensitivity. But seafood and natural spices contribute to its development.
• You can increase skin sensitivity by practicing interaction with different textures. Try to touch different surfaces and reliefs as much as possible and learn to distinguish between them with your eyes closed.

Performing these simple exercises and using the above-mentioned methods for increasing sensitivity will definitely help you make your sensations clearer and more distinct. However, before using vitamins and minerals, be sure to consult with your doctor, because sometimes even the most beneficial substances may not be suitable specifically for your body.

We wish you success in self-knowledge and self-development and hope that our article will be useful to you!

We also recommend reading:

• Storytelling
• Machism: Ernst Mach's contribution to the development of the philosophy of positivism
• Feelings, emotions and sensations: the first step to profiling
• Cognitive processes
• Two important laws of memory
• Sensation and perception
• Spheres of personality
• Wundt's method of studying psychology
• Psychic reflection
• Cognitive sphere of personality
• Mental processes: types and brief description

Key words: 1Psychoregulation, 1Self-knowledge

Functions and role

“Our brains evolved not to react to the world around us, but to predict what will happen to us next.”

Lisa Feldman Barrett

Scientists and researchers in the field of psychology of the last century pay due attention to the role and functions of sensations, since through them we understand the world inside and around us:

• Detection: The detection element in each sense is known as a receptor, which is a cell or group of cells that are particularly sensitive to a particular type of energy or more than one form of energy.
• Conversion and transmission: Receptors convert or convert energy from one form to another. Sensory receptors convert incoming energy into electrochemical signals that the nervous system uses to communicate.
• Transmission: If this energy is strong enough, it triggers nerve impulses that convey encoded information about various characteristics of the stimulus. Impulses travel along specific nerve fibers to specific areas of the brain.
• Stimulating and regulating information processing: Both the brain and receptors process sensory information: in organisms of relative simplicity, such as frogs, receptors do most of the work. In more complex animals, such as humans, the brain has a much greater workload.

Motor sensations (kinesthetic)

Nbsp; Report on the subject “Psychology” on the topic: “Sensations” Teacher: Turgel V.A. Prepared by: Kolesnikova M.Yu. Sokolova T.A. Kadetskaya O.N. Volkhov 2022 Contents: 1. Definition of sensation 2. Types of sensations 3. Properties (characteristics) of sensations 4. Diagnostic methods, diagnostic criteria 5. List of sources used

Definition of sensation

S.L. Rubinstein wrote: “Sensation is, firstly, the initial moment of a sensorimotor reaction; secondly, the result of conscious activity, differentiation, isolation of individual sensory qualities within perception.”

Most often, the definition of sensation is that it is an elementary mental process consisting of reflecting individual properties of objects in the material world, as well as the internal states of the body under the direct influence of stimuli on the corresponding receptors. There are at least four main points in this definition.

First definition: sensation is an elementary mental process. The word “elementary” here means the relative simplicity of sensation as one of the manifestations of the psyche (for example, the sensation of light, color, sound, smell, etc.) in comparison with more complex mental processes (such as memories, ideas, mental acts, changes in emotional condition, etc.).

Second definition: sensation is a reflection not of objects of the material world, but only of individual properties, signs, characteristics of these objects. In other words, we cannot say: “I sense this table, window, room, etc.” (objects in their integrity can only be perceived). At the same time, it would sound quite correct: “I feel the smoothness (roughness) and hardness of the surface of this table, its color and other individual properties.”

Third definition: sensation consists of a subjective reflection of not only external influences, but also internal states of the body, such as a feeling of fullness of the stomach or bladder, heartbeat, lack of air, pain from any internal organs, etc. To reflect internal state of the body is served by a specialized interoceptive sensory system (visceral sensitivity system)

Finally, the fourth definition: turning once again to the definition of sensation given above, we see that sensation can arise only through the direct action of stimuli on the corresponding receptors. This distinguishes it from such manifestations of the psyche as memories, ideas, images of imagination and fantasy, etc.

Types of sensations

In psychology, sensation is a reality that affects our senses. Today, there are about two dozen different sensory organs that reflect the impact on the human body. All types of sensations are the result of exposure to various stimuli on the receptors.

Varieties of sensations

Sensations are divided into external and internal .

The first group is what our senses tell us about the world, and the second is what our own body signals to us.

External senses include visual, gustatory, olfactory, tactile and auditory.

Visual sensations are the sensation of color and light. All objects that surround us have some color, while a completely colorless object can only be one that we cannot see at all. As a result of the influence of light rays on the sensitive part of our eye (the retina), visual sensations arise.

Auditory sensations.

There are three types of such sensations: musical, speech and noise. In all these cases, the auditory analyzer identifies four qualities of any sound: its strength, pitch, timbre and duration. In addition, he perceives the tempo-rhythmic features of sounds perceived sequentially. Phonemic hearing is the ability to perceive speech sounds. Its development is determined by the speech environment in which the child is raised. Well-developed phonemic hearing significantly influences the accuracy of written speech, especially during primary school, while a child with poorly developed phonetic hearing makes many mistakes when writing.

A baby’s musical ear is formed and develops in the same way as speech or phonemic hearing. The early introduction of a child to musical culture plays a huge role here. A certain emotional state of a person can create various noises. For example, the sound of the sea, rain, howling wind or rustling leaves. Noises can serve as a signal of danger, such as the hiss of a snake, the noise of an approaching car, or the menacing barking of a dog, or they can signal joy, such as the thunder of fireworks or the footsteps of a loved one. In school practice, they often talk about the negative impact of noise - it tires the student’s nervous system.

Tactile sensations are skin sensations of touch and temperature, that is, a feeling of cold or warmth. Each type of nerve endings located on the surface of our skin allows us to feel the temperature of the environment or touch. Of course, the sensitivity of different areas of the skin varies. For example, the chest, lower back and abdomen are more susceptible to the feeling of cold, and the tip of the tongue and fingertips are most susceptible to touch; the back is least susceptible.

Temperature sensations have a very pronounced emotional tone. Thus, a positive feeling is accompanied by average temperatures, despite the fact that the emotional colors of heat and cold differ significantly. Warmth is regarded as a relaxing feeling, while cold, on the contrary, is invigorating.

Olfactory sensation (Smell) is the ability to sense smells. In the depths of the nasal cavity there are special sensitive cells that help recognize odors. Olfactory sensations play a relatively small role in modern humans. However, for those who are deprived of any sense organ, the rest work more intensely. For example, deaf-blind people are able to recognize people and places by smell and receive signals of danger using their sense of smell.

The sense of smell can also signal to a person that danger is nearby. For example, if there is a smell of burning or gas in the air. A person’s emotional sphere is greatly influenced by the smells of the objects around him. By the way, the existence of the perfume industry is entirely determined by the aesthetic need of a person for pleasant smells. The senses of taste and smell are closely related to each other, since the sense of smell helps determine the quality of food, and if a person has a runny nose, then all the dishes offered will seem tasteless to him.

Taste sensations . They arise due to irritation of the taste organs. These are the taste buds, which are located on the surface of the pharynx, palate and tongue. There are four main types of taste sensations: bitter, salty, sweet and sour. A series of shades that arise within these four sensations gives the taste originality to each dish. The edges of the tongue are sensitive to sour, its tip to sweet, and its base to bitter.

It should be noted that taste sensations are significantly influenced by the feeling of hunger. If a person is hungry, then tasteless food seems much more pleasant.

Internal sensations.

This group of sensations lets a person know what changes are occurring in his own body. Interoceptive sensation is an example of an internal sensation. It tells us that we experience hunger, thirst, pain, etc. In addition, there are also motor, tactile sensations and a sense of balance. Of course, interoceptive sensation is a vital ability for survival. Without these sensations, we would know nothing about our own body.

Motor sensations (kinesthetic)

They determine that a person feels the movement and position in space of parts of his body. With the help of the motor analyzer, a person has the ability to feel the position of his body and coordinate its movements. Receptors of motor sensations are located in the tendons and muscles of a person, as well as in the fingers, lips, and tongue, because these organs need to make subtle and precise working and speech movements.

Organic sensations.

This type of sensation tells us how the body works. Inside organs, such as the esophagus, intestines and many others, there are corresponding receptors. While a person is healthy and well-fed, he does not feel any organic or interoceptive sensations. But when something is disrupted in the body, they manifest themselves in full. For example, abdominal pain appears if a person has eaten something that is not very fresh.

Tactile sensations . This type of feeling is caused by the fusion of two sensations - motor and skin. That is, tactile sensations appear when you feel an object with a moving hand.

Equilibrium

This sensation reflects the position that our body occupies in space. In the labyrinth of the inner ear, which is also called the vestibular apparatus, when the body position changes, lymph (a special fluid) oscillates.

The organ of balance is closely related to the work of other internal organs. For example, with strong stimulation of the balance organ, a person may experience nausea or vomiting. This is otherwise called air sickness or seasickness. The stability of the balance organs increases with regular training.

Painful sensations.

The feeling of pain has a protective value, as it signals that something is wrong in the body. Without this type of sensation, a person would not even feel serious injuries. The anomaly is considered complete insensitivity to pain. It does not bring anything good to a person, for example, he does not notice that he is cutting his finger or putting his hand on a hot iron. Of course, this leads to permanent injuries.

Classification of sensations

Types of sensations are divided into 3 main types:

But at different times, different scientists proposed their own classifications of sensations.

Wundt classification

Sherrington classification

Sherrington, based on the localization (location) of receptors, identified three main classes of sensations:

Head classification

G. Head believed that the correct division of sensations should occur according to their origin:

Classification by contact with irritant

Based on contact with the stimulus, sensations are divided into two types:

These sensations are intermodal and, therefore, can be considered multisensory.

Sensations and perception

Sensation and perception are considered inextricably linked.

By perception we understand the mental process of obtaining information about an object through the analysis of a set of different sensations. We can say that perception is a processing process.

Example: I see something small, soft, white, rectangular in shape, light... In the process of perception, the brain actively goes through the options of images stored in memory in order to choose the one that has all the properties. A! It's a pillow! The object was recognized. Recognition does not occur if the object is not in your “database”.

Perception is not an innate ability. From birth, the child gradually learns to distinguish objects - examines, touches, tastes, smells, collecting a complete image in his head. This is a complex process that requires the active work of other mental spheres - memory, attention, thinking, motor skills, emotions.

Interoceptive sensations

Interoceptive sensations are stimuli emanating from internal organs.

It is the brain's representation of the body's own sensations, it is the sensory consequence of this activity, and it is fundamental to everything from thoughts, emotions, acceptance

decisions and our sense of self, to ensuring regulation of basic needs.

Simply put, interoceptive sensations (interoception) are the internal sensations of the body. We have receptors in organs, muscles and on the skin that provide us with various types of information that our brain then must integrate in order to have adequate performance (for example, while playing, getting dressed, at school, etc.).

Interoception allows us to sense our internal organs and gives us information about the internal state of our body, that is, informs us about pain, body temperature, itching, sexual arousal, hunger, thirst, heart rate, breathing rate, feeling drowsy or the desire to go to the bathroom . But in addition, interoception is the basis for identifying different emotional states, in a way that allows us to know whether we are calm or nervous, if we are ashamed, sad, afraid, etc.

Proprioceptive sensations

Responsible for transmitting signals about the position of the body in space and include the following sensations:

• equilibrium (static),
• motor (kinesthetic).

Receptors of this sensitivity group are located in muscles and joints (ligaments, tendons). They are called Paccini bodies.

Feelings of balance

They characterize the position that a body occupies in space. They are given to us by an organ located in the inner ear. Peripheral receptors are located in the semicircular canals of the inner ear (vestibular apparatus), similar to a cochlea shell and called the labyrinth. The organs of balance are closely interconnected with other internal organs . Their severe overexcitation leads to nausea and vomiting (the so-called seasickness or air sickness). Thanks to regular training, the stability of the balance organs greatly increases. The vestibular system transmits signals about movements and positions of the head. If the labyrinth is damaged, a person can neither sit, nor stand, much less walk.

Motor (kinesthetic)

These are sensations of the position and movement of body parts. Thanks to the activity of the motor analyzer, a person gains the opportunity to coordinate and control his movements. Receptors of motor sensations are located in tendons and muscles, in the fingers, lips and tongue, since it is these organs that carry out precise and subtle working and speech movements .

The development of kinesthetic sensations is one of the most important tasks of learning. Lessons in physical education, labor, drawing, reading, drawing must be planned taking into account the capabilities and prospects for the development of the motor analyzer. Movement development and mastery are the key to educational and work activities. When learning a foreign language, it is necessary to develop speech-motor movements that are uncharacteristic of the Russian language.

Exteroceptive sensations

Exteroceptive sensations inform us about the external environment. These are the so-called superficial sensations. Receptors are located on the skin and mucous membranes. These are all kinds of sensations associated not only with touch, vision, smell, taste and hearing, but also with movement. Exteroceptive sensations are caused by external stimuli. External stimuli can act through direct contact or at a distance.

Visual sensations

We are talking about the sensations that arise when the subject observes something or someone. These sensations usually vary in their purity and brightness. Among them, there are colors that become more vibrant than others.

Visual sensations also include:

Olfactory sensations:

Smell - The olfactory sensations are produced by volatile particles produced by the bodies from which they are released. There is a close connection between the sense of smell and taste. The nose is the organ of smell. Sometimes we don't perceive the taste of food well because of a cold.

Auditory sensations

These are sensations created by sound, so they are divided into sounds and noises. These sensations usually vary depending on height and tone. They also change depending on the timbre.

Tactile sensations

These sensations are created directly through the skin of a person, who can feel any element or object that touches him. Through the skin, one can feel when an object is rough, smooth, rough, regardless of whether it has thermal characteristics, i.e. hot, cold, warm, etc.

These sensations can also be caused by an internal process.

The sensations perceived by touch are of three types and are transmitted to the brain in different ways:

• Protopathic sensations. The most primitive and little differentiated, they react to the most powerful and extensive factors, such as pain, extreme cold or heat. They are the first to appear after nerve injuries.
• Epicritic sensations. The most subtle, localized and precisely allow us to recognize low intensity stimuli, allowing us to recognize shapes and sizes.
• Thermoalgesic sensations. Those associated with fever and pain.

Taste sensations

Through the sense of taste, we perceive the different aromas of things. They report the taste and chemical value of the material (sweet, sour, bitter). Their organ is located in the oral cavity, and their receptors are the taste buds of the tongue.

The stimuli for these sensations are substances in the liquid state. The function of saliva is to dissolve solids so that taste can be tested. For this reason, taste is considered a chemical sense, since it requires a liquid solution to stimulate it. Solids do not produce a sense of taste until they dissolve in liquids in the mouth.

Intermodal sensations

In psychology, this type was separated from others, because it cannot be associated with any specific modality. This includes vibration sensitivity, which integrates auditory and tactile-motor sensations. Vibration sensations characterize vibrations of an elastic medium. A person experiences them, for example, by touching a railway rail, which vibrates under the influence of an approaching train.

Vibration sensations in humans, as a rule, are very poorly developed and therefore do not play a special role. But at the same time, for many deaf people they can partially replace hearing, thus achieving images of a very high level of development. According to L. E. Komendantov, tactile-vibration sensitivity is one of the forms of sound perception.

Patterns

The properties and patterns of sensations emphasize the dependence and importance of analyzing systems in their work under the influence of stimuli.

Sensations arise only when the receptors change under the influence of movements in the surrounding world or the sense organs themselves.

Several patterns of sensations can be identified:

• Sensitivity thresholds
• Device
• Interaction.
• Sensitization.
• Contrast
• Synesthesia

Thresholds

Although the sensory stimuli may be the same, each person will perceive different things. On the other hand, sensitivity is determined by sensation thresholds, that is, by the intensity of stimuli with which we begin to perceive something. In this sense, three thresholds can be distinguished:

• Minimum threshold . This is the minimum or maximum level from which a person can experience a sensation. This is the barrier that separates stimuli that are detected from those that are not.
• Maximum threshold. When the sensation that a person experiences is so strong that it is not fully perceived.
• Differential threshold. This threshold represents the minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli.

Adaptation

Adaptation is the adjustment of sensory abilities after prolonged exposure to stimuli. Environmental stimuli cause the sensitivity of sensory receptors to change depending on the type of environmental stimulus, thereby stimulating a specific receptor. Adaptation occurs when a person gets used to a stimulus and changes the coordinate system. Consequently, he does not react to the stimulus as well as before.

Interaction

Our sensations interact with each other. From the very beginning of perception, they are responsible for enhancing, empowering other senses, even competing with each other and causing surprising changes to each other. The sensory properties of the body are constantly changing. Therefore, a change in the sensitivity of some receptors under the influence of others is called the interaction of sensations. This combination of sensory information is necessary for the brain to build a picture of the outside world.

Contrast

Sensory contrast is the perception of an increased or increased difference between two stimuli or sensations (due to changes in the quality and intensity of sensations that occur under the influence of a preliminary or accompanying stimulus) when they are juxtaposed or when one immediately follows the other. An example is the effect that occurs when a trombone follows a violin or when the colors bright yellow and red are perceived simultaneously.

Or, if a sleeping person is pricked with a needle easily enough, he will not wake up. He will reflexively pull his leg away from the needle because his sensations are still retained, and his spinal reflexes will kick in, even though he does not perceive the sensation.

The thing is that instant cancellation of the action of the stimulating factor does not cause the same instant cancellation of stimulation processes in the receptors. This is a gradual process and not only does it take some time, but also several phases of excitation and inhibition of excited neurons must occur. Only then will the original sensitivity threshold be restored.

Synesthesia

People with synesthesia have a particularly curious cross-talk of senses and sensations, in which the activation of one sense spontaneously triggers the other. They may see colors when they hear noise, associate certain identities with days of the week, or hear sounds when they see moving dots.

This only proves to us the interconnection of all analytical systems of the human body.

Synesthesia is thought to be genetic, and recent research even suggests it may confer an evolutionary advantage.

Most synesthetes do not notice anything strange in the way they perceive their environment until it is brought to their attention.

The response to certain sensations sometimes depends not only on whether we feel, for example, an orange very sour or rich and sweet, which may be physical characteristics of the stimulus, but in other cases we may experience certain sensations from previous experience.

That is why through sensations we can accurately feel the world around us in all its splendor and in all its aspects.

Natalia Shakhova

The concept of "sensation"

Initially, sensations were considered in philosophy: they included all phenomena of the sensory reflection of the world, including perception and memory. In the 18th century, W. Wundt, a German physician, physiologist and psychologist, founder of experimental and cognitive psychology, clearly distinguished the differences between sensations and other related concepts, which was later confirmed by other psychologists, in particular A. N. Leontiev. And in the 19th century, the science of psychophysics was formed, studying the interaction between physical processes and subjective sensations, within the framework of which the study of sensations continues to this day.

As a result, sensation began to mean the simplest mental process that is inherent in absolutely any living organism in the course of its cognitive activity.

Sensations are the process of reflection by the psyche of individual properties of phenomena and objects in the surrounding world, in which all our senses are involved.

Sensations are considered the first stage of human cognitive activity, which serves as the basis for more complex cognitive processes (perception, speech, memory, thinking, etc.). For example, perception is made up of sensations and is a holistic reflection of objects and phenomena, and not their individual properties (as opposed to sensations).

For a better understanding, let's give an example: if you enjoy a rose, then your holistic impression of it “she is beautiful” is a perception, and a sensation will be called the fact that you feel its wonderful aroma or prickly thorns, or think that it has beautiful petals. Thus, perception is a combination of several sensations, thanks to which a holistic picture of an object is formed.

To better understand what sensations are, let’s find out what their physiological mechanisms and patterns are.

Absolute and relative sensitivity threshold

Reflection - what is it in psychology, definition

For many sciences, quantitative indicators of the expression of impressions are important. By measuring them, the sensitivity of the individual and the threshold values ​​of the action of the stimulus are determined.

Threshold is the value of the strength of the stimulus at which a person begins to feel it. Thresholds can be absolute or relative.

The lower absolute threshold is the ability of receptors to respond to weak stimulation. In order for a person to feel the signs of a stimulus, it must have a certain strength.

The upper absolute threshold is the maximum intensity of the stimulus that a person is able to perceive. This is the pain threshold. Examples include pain in the ears that occurs from a very loud sound, or a cutting pain in the eyes from a blinding light.

Upper threshold for light exposure

Relative threshold is the ability to notice a change in the strength of a stimulus.

Attention! Absolute thresholds determine the range of what is accessible to human perception in the surrounding reality.

Quality and intensity of sensations

Empathy - what is it in psychology

Quality and intensity are the main characteristics of the reaction to receptor stimulation. Quality gives the researcher information about how a given receptor reaction differs from other similar reactions. For example, taste sensations are very diverse: a person can accurately distinguish bitter tastes from sweet ones. This or that characteristic of taste depends on the chemical composition of the product; this is what determines the quality of taste sensations.

Additional Information. The quality of sensations is often identified with their modality, since it reflects the main property of a particular analyzer.

The quantitative value of receptor reactions is intensity. It determines the strength of the stimulus and the strength of the receptor. An example of a change in the intensity of impressions is a person’s ability to perceive odors: during a cold accompanied by nasal congestion, it decreases.