Sensory Perceptions

Sensory Perceptions

Patti Ball

Strayer University

Critical Thinking

Chris Emerick, PhD

April 12, 2013

Sensory Perceptions

Perception can be defined as the mental process of recognizing and interpreting an object through one or more of the senses stimulated by a physical object. Thus one recognizes the shape, color, location and differentiation of an object from its background. (The Free Dictionary by Farlex) In other words, our senses work together to give us the understanding of what is happening around us.

There are several reasons to believe in the accuracy of the sensory information presented to us. Three reasons to believe in the accuracy of sensory information are:

1. The ability of the brain to analyze the sensory data and identify the truth. The brain has been trained to recognize some sensory input.

2. The ability of the brain to tie in the emotions with the sensory data and validate the truth.

3. The ability of the brain to recognize what the reality of a situation is based on the sensory data.

The brain’s ability to analyze all of this data is not only based on its ability to receive the information. It can be shaped by learning, memory and expectation. When we are born we are taught how to use our senses. Our brain learns to recognize the sounds of words and the smells of foods; in other words, we learn what the some of the sensory data is.

One example of believing in the accuracy of sensory information can be demonstrated by witnessing a fire. The smell of smoke emitted from the fire alerts us to the possibility of a fire. When we see the fire we can be reasonably assured that this event is actually occurring. Our sense of touch alerts us to the change in temperature that our body may be experiencing as we move closer to the fire. These three factors (sight, smell and touch) contributed to the accuracy of the sensory data presented to us while witnessing a fire.

Other factors can influence the accuracy of the sensory data....