Sensory Perception: Definition, Components And How It Works
We interpret and understand the world around us thanks to the fact that we are able to feel and perceive.
Sensory perception is the process by which we receive information from sensory stimuli from our senses so that it can be encoded and processed then in our brain and finally we can generate a conscious perceptual experience.
In this article we explain what sensory perception is, what its main components are and how sensory and perceptual processes are organized from birth.
Sensoperception or sensory perception is a process through which we capture stimuli from our environment so that they can be processed and interpreted at the brain level.
We perceive what surrounds us and interpret the world thanks to our senses, which transform the electrochemical signals received and transmit them as nervous impulses to the neural centers for sensory processing (transduction process).
The interpretation we make of the stimuli we perceive is not neutral nor is it based solely on the physical characteristics of what surrounds us. Our expectations, beliefs and prior knowledge influence how we ultimately perceive a specific object or phenomenon.
Components
Sensory perception, as its name indicates, consists of two parts: sensation and perception Sensation is a neurophysiological process that involves the reception of information (through sensory receptors distributed throughout the body) that comes from our own body and the environment.
There are different types of sensations: interoceptive sensations, which inform us about the internal processes of our own body through organs such as the viscera, and modulate our moods; proprioceptive, which helps us know how to place our body in space, seeking information about posture or movement; and exteroceptive, which provide us with data about the environment through the senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing).
All our experiences are based on sensory processes, and in every sensation there is a physical component (a stimulus), a physiological component (reception of the stimulus and transmission of the impulse) and a psychological component (brain processing and awareness). Sensation becomes perception when our brain encodes, interprets and gives meaning to sensory data.
For its part, the perception process develops in three phases: first, sensory information is received; second, there is a process of discrimination and selection of sensory data, which access our consciousness; and third, the areas in charge of sensory processing are responsible for interpreting and processing, based on acquired knowledge and previous experiences, sensory data, combining the information received with that previously acquired and generating a conscious perceptual experience.
Sensory perception is, therefore, a process in which sensory and perceptual processing occur, both necessary for us to configure a coherent and accessible reality
sensory organization
Sensory organization refers to the way we capture stimuli through our senses, how they are transmitted to the brain and where the sensations are recorded. Practically from the moment we are born, the senses are functional and allow us to access the sensory information that surrounds us through stimulation and action.
At around 5 or 6 months, babies already perceive the world in a way similar to how adults do. One of the most important characteristics of sensory perception, and in this case of sensory organization, is that the reception of information from the senses is combined and coordinated in order to generate the most complete sensory and perceptual experience.
Sensory organization follows the following stages:
The perceptual organization
Within sensory perception, Perceptual organization refers to the way in which our brain structures, interprets and encodes sensory information to give it coherence and sense.
This information can be determined by the following aspects: those of a physiological nature, such as the quality of the sensory receptors, the person’s mood, their age, etc.; those of a psychological nature, such as motivation, expectations or the cultural context; and those of a mechanical type, such as the intensity of the stimulus.
Our perceptual system develops following a series of guidelines. Below are the main perceptual systems:
1. Visual perception
Vision is limited at birth (babies do not see, but they can perform visual explorations), and it gradually acquires efficiency and functionality relatively quickly. Newborns preferentially discriminate certain stimuli that, for them, are more attractive; for example, the brightest ones, those that move, those that have colors or those that make sounds.
These visual preferences are innate, which means that the perceptual system is conditioned from birth to attend to certain stimuli over others, and thanks to this evolutionary mechanism, children can self-regulate their own perceptual development, spontaneously choosing the experiences of more appropriate learning.
2. Auditory perception
The processes of auditory sensory perception are similar to those of vision The newborn does not usually hear, although the ear will progressively refine its capacity, making the baby sensitive to the intensity of sounds. Loud and strident noises make them uncomfortable, and sounds like their mother’s voice or relaxing music calm them down.
As in visual perception, children show a preference for certain sounds over others, especially the human voice. At 3 or 4 months they are already able to identify voices and recognize their mother’s. Complete hearing maturity occurs around 4 or 5 months.
3. Olfactory perception
Smell is one of the senses that is most and best developed from birth Children have a preference for pleasant odors (they turn their head towards them) and are able to detect unpleasant or harmful odors. They also tend to show a preference for odors such as breast milk or the mother’s body odor.
During the first months, the infant memorizes many of the smells that it picks up from the environment. And although the olfactory capacity has been important in evolutionary development, this capacity has been lost over time due to a lack of stimulation, to the detriment of auditory or visual capacity.
4. Taste perception
From birth, what happens with auditory and visual perception also happens in the case of gustatory perception. Babies have a preference for more pleasant flavors (sweet ones) over less pleasant ones (salty or bitter ones)
It should be noted that the sense of taste is the most specialized of all. We have more than 10,000 taste buds and we are able to detect 4 flavors and multiple sensations (rough, white, dry, hard, etc.).
Research carried out on children has also been able to study the reaction of infants to the increase in glucose concentration in food, proving that they also react with taste preference in these cases.
5. Tactile perception
Sensory processing of tactile stimuli is essential from birth, since we are capable of interpreting reality through our skin and contact with the outside world. Normally, this first contact is usually with the mother’s skin (through caresses and cuddling), which generates a strong emotional bond and a great sensory-perceptive experience.
Through skin contact, the child is able to capture vibrations and generate conscious experiences and feelings that play a fundamental role in the construction and socio-affective development. The stimulation of touch is, therefore, essential for the child to form a mental image of his environment and you can begin to build your particular reality.
