Sensation (Psychology): Characteristics, Thresholds, Types and Differences With Perception

In psychology, a sensation it is the detection by the body of an external or internal stimulus through the senses. It is the step prior to perception, taking place before the brain is able to interpret what the stimulus that has just been detected means.

The sensation is produced thanks to the different types of receptors that we have throughout the body, normally concentrated in the sensory organs. Then, sensory information is transmitted to the brain through a process called transduction; This new information is what is interpreted by the brain and becomes perception.

Although it is usually considered that there are only five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch), our body is able to detect other types of sensations. Some of the most important are the feeling of hunger, the feeling of thirst, or the sense of balance.

Characteristics of the sensation

A sensation is the simplest form of mental process. It is just an impression produced in the brain by a stimulus. This stimulus is detected by a sensory organ, and later it is transmitted to a sensory center in the brain, where it is translated into what we understand by sensation.

Pure sensation is something that does not occur in adults, because the brain immediately interprets what is happening. In this way, the received stimulus (which can come both from outside and from within the body itself) immediately becomes a perception.

The pure sensations only occur in newborn babies, who still can not interpret what the stimuli mean. However, in psychology, sensations are spoken to better understand the process of interpretation that leads us to have perceptions.

The sensations have a series of characteristics that differentiate from each other. Next we will see the most important ones.

Quality

The first fundamental characteristic of sensations is their quality. It has to do with the type of stimulus that produces them; For example, a sound produces a sensation with a quality other than a flavor.

On the other hand, within stimuli of the same type, those that produce a different sensation also differ in quality. For example, the color red has a quality other than yellow, and both have a different quality than the color blue. The same goes for sounds, smells or tastes.

This difference in quality is explained by Muller's theory about the specific energy of the nerves. According to this psychologist of perception, each stimulus carries with it a type of energy that stimulates a sensory organ. This, in turn, transmits a specific type of energy to the brain through the sensory nerves (such as the optic nerve or the auditory nerve).

Intensity

Another feature that differentiate sensations is their intensity. Even when one stimulus has the same quality as another, it can have a greater intensity, so the sensation it will cause will be stronger.

Depending on the type of meaning we are referring to, the intensity will be translated one way or another. For example, a dim light will produce a slight sensation of brightness; on the contrary, an intense light will cause a very strong luminous sensation.

Duration

Duration is the time during which the sensation is maintained after it has been produced. This characteristic changes the subjective part of a sensation; For example, a sound that lasts two seconds will feel differently than one that lasts thirty.

Thresholds of sensation

One of the most important characteristics of sensations is their threshold; that is, the minimum intensity that a stimulus must have in order to produce a sensation in us at least 50% of the time.

Within the psychology of perception, two types of thresholds are studied:

Absolute threshold

That is, the minimum energy below which a stimulus no longer causes a sensation.

Differential threshold

Also defined as the minimum change of intensity over an already applied stimulus that the human body is able to differentiate.

Types of sensation

In general, sensations are usually classified into three large groups:

- Organic sensations.

- Special sensations.

- Motor or kinesthetic sensations.

Organic sensations

Organic sensations are those sensations not produced by a particular sensory organ, but can be felt in large parts of the organism. On the other hand, they occur only due to internal stimuli, caused by changes in the organism.

The activities of some internal organs send the stimulus to the sensory nerves, which transfer it to the brain in the form of energy.

Some of these organic sensations are hunger, sleep, thirst or internal pain. Sometimes they are also known as the"barometer of life", because they inform us about the conditions of our own body.

Another of its most peculiar characteristics is that they are not easy to remember, unlike special sensations. In addition, they profoundly affect our well-being.

Special sensations

The special sensations are those detected with specialized organs for it; that is, all those that are perceived with the sensory organs. Therefore, color, sound, temperature or pain are special sensations.

Its main function is to provide us with information about elements external to ourselves and, due to their importance for our survival, they are more easily distinguishable from each other and there are more types.

Motor or kinesthetic sensations

Finally, the motor or kinesthetic sensations are responsible for informing us of the movements of our own body. Its main function is to help us move properly, in addition to providing information about our internal state.

Differences with perception

Sensations and perceptions are part of the same process, through which our brain is able to transform an internal stimulus into an interpretation of what is happening in the external world or in our own body.

The main difference between the two is that the sensation occurs without intervention of the brain, while the perception is totally mediated by the activity of this organ. Without the brain we would be incapable of interpreting our sensations and, therefore, we would not be able to elaborate an answer to what happens to us.

References

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4. "Sensation"at: Brock University. Retrieved April 6, 2018 from Brock University: brocku.ca.
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