Sensation is a reflection of the individual properties of objects that directly affect our senses. Psychology of sensations

Depending on the source of stimulation acting on the receptors, sensations are divided into three groups. Each of these groups, in turn, consists of various specific sensations (Fig. 5.7).

Rice. 5.7.

1. Exteroceptive sensationsreflect the properties of objects and phenomena of the external environment (“five senses”). These include visual, auditory, taste, temperature and tactile sensations. In fact, there are more than five receptors that provide these sensations, and the so-called “sixth sense” has nothing to do with it.
   For example, visual sensations arise when excited chopsticks (“twilight, black and white vision”) and cones (“daytime, color vision”).
   Temperature sensations in humans occur during separate excitationcold and heat receptors.Tactile sensations reflect the impact on the surface of the body, and they arise when excited or sensitivetouch receptorsin the upper layer of the skin, or with stronger exposure topressure receptorsin the deep layers of the skin.
2. Interoreceptivesensations reflect the state of the internal organs. These include sensations of pain, hunger, thirst, nausea, suffocation, etc. Painful sensations signal damage and irritation of human organs and are a unique manifestation of the body’s protective functions. The intensity of pain varies, reaching great strength in some cases, which can even lead to a state of shock.
3. Proprioceptive sensations(muscular-motor). These are sensations that reflect the position and movements of our body. With the help of muscle-motor sensations, a person receives information about the position of the body in space, about the relative positionall its parts, about the movement of the body and its parts, about the contraction, stretching and relaxation of muscles, the condition of joints and ligaments, etc. Muscular-motor sensations are complex. Simultaneous stimulation of receptors of different quality gives sensations of a unique quality:
   • irritation of receptor endings in the muscles creates a feeling of muscle tone when performing a movement;
   • sensations of muscle tension and effort are associated with irritation of the nerve endings of the tendons;
   • irritation of the receptors of the articular surfaces gives a sense of direction, shape and speed of movements.
4. Many authors include in this same group of sensations the sensations of balance and acceleration that arise as a result of stimulation of the receptors of the vestibular analyzer.

And the person’s emotions? It is this issue that we decided to devote today’s article. After all, without these components we would not be people, but machines that do not live, but simply exist.

What are the sense organs?

As you know, a person learns all the information about the world around him through his own. These include the following:

• eyes;
• language;
• leather.

Thanks to these organs, people feel and see the objects around them, as well as hear sounds and taste. It should be noted that this is not a complete list. Although it is usually called the main one. So what are the feelings and sensations of a person who has functioning not only of the above organs, but also of other organs? Let's consider the answer to the question posed in more detail.

Eyes

The sensations of vision, or rather color and light, are the most numerous and diverse. Thanks to the presented body, people receive about 70% of information about the environment. Scientists have found that the number of visual sensations (of various qualities) of an adult, on average, reaches 35 thousand. It should also be noted that vision plays a significant role in the perception of space. As for the sensation of color, it completely depends on the length of the light wave that irritates the retina, and the intensity depends on its amplitude or so-called scope.

Ears

Hearing (tones and noises) gives a person about 20 thousand different states of consciousness. This sensation is caused by air waves that come from the sounding body. Its quality depends entirely on the magnitude of the wave, its strength on its amplitude, and its timbre (or sound coloring) on ​​its shape.

Nose

The sensations of smell are quite varied and very difficult to classify. They occur when the upper part of the nasal cavity, as well as the mucous membrane of the palate, is irritated. This effect occurs due to the dissolution of the smallest odorous substances.

Language

Thanks to this organ, a person can distinguish different tastes, namely sweet, salty, sour and bitter.

Leather

Tactile sensations are divided into feelings of pressure, pain, temperature, etc. They occur during irritation of nerve endings located in tissues, which have a special structure.

What feelings does a person have? In addition to all of the above, people also have feelings such as:

• Static (body position in space and a sense of its balance). This feeling occurs during irritation of the nerve endings that are located in the semicircular canals of the ear.
• Muscular, joint and tendon. They are very difficult to observe, but they are of the nature of internal pressure, tension and even slip.
• Organic or somatic. Such feelings include hunger, nausea, sensations of breathing, etc.

What are the feelings and emotions?

A person’s emotions and inner feelings reflect his attitude towards any event or situation in life. Moreover, the two named states are quite different from each other. So, emotions are a direct reaction to something. This happens at the animal level. As for feelings, this is a product of thinking, accumulated experience, experiences, etc.

What feelings does a person have? It is quite difficult to answer the question posed unambiguously. After all, people have a lot of feelings and emotions. They give a person information about needs, as well as feedback on what is happening. Thanks to this, people can understand what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. After realizing the feelings that have arisen, a person gives himself the right to any emotion, and thereby he begins to understand what is happening in reality.

List of basic emotions and feelings

What are the feelings and emotions of a person? It is simply impossible to list them all. In this regard, we decided to name only a few. Moreover, they are all divided into three different groups.

Positive:

• pleasure;
• jubilation;
• joy;
• pride;
• delight;
• trust;
• confidence;
• admiration;
• sympathy;
• love (or affection);
• love (sexual attraction to a partner);
• respect;
• gratitude (or appreciation);
• tenderness;
• complacency;
• tenderness;
• gloat;
• bliss;
• feeling of satisfied revenge;
• feeling of self-satisfaction;
• feeling of relief;
• anticipation;
• feeling of security.

Negative:

Neutral:

• astonishment;
• curiosity;
• amazement;
• calm and contemplative mood;
• indifference.

Now you know what feelings a person has. Some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent, but each of us has experienced them at least once in our lives. Negative emotions that are ignored and not recognized by us do not just disappear. After all, the body and soul are one, and if the latter suffers for a long time, then the body takes on some part of its heavy burden. And it’s not for nothing that they say that all diseases are caused by nerves. The influence of negative emotions on human well-being and health has long been a scientific fact. As for positive feelings, the benefits of them are clear to everyone. After all, experiencing joy, happiness and other emotions, a person literally consolidates in his memory the desired types of behavior (feelings of success, well-being, trust in the world, people around him, etc.).

Neutral feelings also help people express their attitude towards what they see, hear, etc. By the way, such emotions can act as a kind of springboard to further positive or negative manifestations.

Thus, by analyzing his behavior and attitude to current events, a person can become better, worse, or remain the same. It is these properties that distinguish people from animals.

Human life is filled with different experiences that come through sensory systems. The simplest phenomenon of all mental processes is sensation. There is nothing more natural for us when we see, hear, feel the touch of objects.

The concept of sensation in psychology

Why is the topic: “Sensation” relevant? In psychology, this phenomenon has been studied for quite a long time, trying to give a more precise definition. Today, scientists are still trying to understand the depth of the inner world and human physiology. Sensation is, in general psychology, the process of displaying individual qualities, as well as features of objects and phenomena of reality under conditions of direct influence on the senses. The ability to gain such experience is characteristic of living organisms that have a nervous system. And for conscious sensations, living beings must have a brain.

The primary stage, before the appearance of such a mental process, was characterized by simple irritability, due to which a selective response to important influences from the external or internal environment occurred. The reaction was accordingly accompanied by changes in the state and behavior of the living organism, which was noticed by general psychology.

Sensation is in psychology the first link in a person’s knowledge of the external and internal world. There are different types of this phenomenon, depending on the stimuli that produce them. These objects or phenomena are connected with different types of energy and, accordingly, give rise to sensations of different quality: auditory, skin, visual. Psychology also distinguishes feelings associated with the muscular system and internal organs. Such phenomena are not realized by humans. The only exception is pain that comes from the internal organs. They do not reach the sphere of consciousness, but are perceived by the nervous system. A person also receives sensations that are associated with concepts such as time, acceleration, vibration and other vital factors.

The stimuli for our analyzers are electromagnetic waves that fall within a certain range.

Characteristics of types of sensations

Psychology provides a description of their various types. The first classification dates back to the ancient period. It is based on analyzers that determine such types as smell, taste, touch, vision and hearing.

Another classification of sensations in psychology is presented by B. G. Ananyev (he identified 11 types). There is also a systematic typology authored by the English physiologist C. Sherrington. It includes interoceptive, proprioceptive and exteroceptive types of sensations. Let's take a closer look at them.

Interoceptive type of sensation: description

This type of sensation gives signals from different organs and systems, which are characterized by certain indicators. Receptors receive signals from the digestive system (through the walls of the stomach and intestines), the cardiovascular system (the walls of blood vessels and the heart), from muscle tissue and other systems. Such nerve formations are called receptors of the internal environment.

These sensations belong to the most ancient and primitive group. They are characterized by unconsciousness, diffuseness and are very close to the emotional state. Another name for these mental processes is organic.

Proprioceptive type of sensation: description

Information about the state of our body is given to a person by proprioceptive sensation. In psychology, there are several subtypes of this type, namely: a sense of statics (balance) and kinesthetics (movements). Muscles and joints (tendons and ligaments) are the locations of receptors. The name of such sensitive areas is quite interesting - Paccini corpuscles. If we talk about peripheral receptors of proprioceptive sensations, they are localized in the tubules of the inner ear.

The concept of sensation in psychology and psychophysiology has been studied quite well. This was done by A. A. Orbeli, P. K. Anokhin, N. A. Bernstein.

Exteroceptive type of sensation: description

These sensations support a person’s connection with the outside world and are divided into contact (taste and tactile) and distant (auditory, olfactory and visual sensations in psychology).

The olfactory sensation in psychology is controversial among scientists because they do not know exactly where to place it. The object that emits the smell is at a distance, but the aroma molecules have contact with the nasal receptors. Or it happens that the object is no longer there, but the smell still hangs in the air. Olfactory sensations are also important in eating food and determining the quality of products.

Intermodal sensations: description

As with the sense of smell, there are other senses that are difficult to categorize. For example, this is vibration sensitivity. It includes sensations from the auditory analyzer, as well as from the skin and muscular system. According to L. E. Komendantov, vibration sensitivity is one of the forms of sound perception. Its enormous importance in the lives of people with limited or absent hearing and voice has been proven. Such people have a high level of development of tactile-vibrational phenomenology and can identify a moving truck or other car even at a long distance.

Other classifications of sensations

Also subject to study in psychology is M. Head, who substantiated the genetic approach to the division of sensitivity. He identified two types of it - protopathic (organic sensations - thirst, hunger, primitive and physiological) and epicritic (this includes all sensations known to scientists).

B. M. Teplov also developed a classification of sensations, distinguishing two types of receptors - interoreceptors and exteroceptors.

Characteristics of the properties of sensations

It should be noted that sensations of the same modality can be completely different from each other. The properties of such a cognitive process are its individual characteristics: quality, intensity, spatial localization, duration, sensation thresholds. In psychology, these phenomena were described by physiological scientists who were the first to begin to deal with such a problem.

Quality and intensity of sensation

In principle, any indicators of phenomena can be divided into quantitative and qualitative types. The quality of the sensation determines its differences from other types of this phenomenon and carries basic information from the stimulator. It is impossible to measure quality using any numerical instruments. If we take the visual sensation in psychology, then its quality will be color. For taste and olfactory sensitivity, this is the concept of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, aromatic, and so on.

The quantitative characteristic of a sensation is its intensity. This property is necessary for a person, since it is important for us to determine loud or quiet music, as well as whether it is light or dark in a room. Intensity is experienced differently depending on such factors: the strength of the current stimulus (physical parameters) and the functional state of the receptor that is affected. The greater the indicators of the physical characteristics of the stimulus, the greater the intensity of the sensation.

Duration and spatial localization of sensation

Another important characteristic is duration, which indicates the temporary indicators of sensation. This property is also subject to the action of objective and subjective factors. If the stimulus acts for a long time, then the sensation will be long-lasting. This is an objective factor. Subjective lies in the functional state of the analyzer.

Stimuli that irritate the senses have their location in space. Sensations help determine the location of an object, which plays a significant role in human life.

Thresholds of sensations in psychology: absolute and relative

The absolute threshold is understood as those physical parameters of the stimulus in a minimal amount that cause sensation. There are stimuli that are lower than the absolute threshold level and do not cause sensitivity. But the human body is still influenced by these patterns of sensations. In psychology, researcher G. V. Gershuni presented the results of experiments in which it was found that sound stimuli that were lower than the absolute threshold caused certain electrical activity in the brain and pupil enlargement. This zone is a subsensory area.

There is also an upper absolute threshold - this is an indicator of a stimulus that cannot be adequately perceived by the senses. Such experiences cause pain, but not always (ultrasound).

In addition to properties, there are also patterns of sensations: synesthesia, sensitization, adaptation, interaction.

Characteristics of perception

Sensation and perception in psychology are the primary cognitive processes in relation to memory and thinking. We have given a brief description of this mental phenomenon, and now let’s move on to perception. This is a mental process of a holistic reflection of objects and phenomena of reality in their direct contact with the sense organs. Sensation and perception in psychology were studied by physiologists and psychologists L. A. Venger, A. V. Zaporozhets, V. P. Zinchenko, T. S. Komarova and other scientists. The process of collecting information provides a person with orientation in the outside world.

It should be noted that perception is characteristic only of humans and higher animals that are capable of forming images. This is a process of objectification. Delivery of information about the properties of objects to the cerebral cortex is a function of sensations. In the psychology of perception, they distinguish the formation of an image obtained on the basis of collected information about an object and its properties. The image is obtained as a result of the interaction of several sensory systems.

Types of perception

In perception there are three groups. Here are the most common classifications:

Properties of perception

S. L. Rubinstein states that people’s perceptions are generalized and directed.

So, the first property of this process is considered to be objectivity. Perception is impossible without objects, because they have their own specific colors, shape, size and purpose. We define a violin as a musical instrument, and a plate as a cutlery.

The second property is integrity. Sensations convey to the brain the elements of an object, its certain qualities, and with the help of perception these individual features are combined into a holistic image. At an orchestra concert, we listen to the music as a whole, and not to the sounds of each musical instrument separately (violin, double bass, cello).

The third property is constancy. It characterizes the relative constancy of shapes, shades of color and quantities that we perceive. For example, we see a cat as a certain animal, regardless of whether it is in the dark or in a bright room.

The fourth property is generality. It is human nature to classify objects and assign them to a certain class, depending on the characteristics that are present.

The fifth property is meaningfulness. When we perceive objects, we relate them to our experience and knowledge. Even if the object is unfamiliar, the human brain tries to compare it with familiar objects and identify common features.

The sixth property is selectivity. First of all, objects that have a connection with a person’s personal experience or activity are perceived. For example, while watching a play, an actor and a stranger will experience what is happening on stage differently.

Each process can occur both normally and in pathology. consider hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to ordinary environmental stimuli), hypoesthesia (decreased level of sensitivity), agnosia (impaired recognition of objects in a state of clear consciousness and a slight decrease in general sensitivity), hallucinations (perception of non-existent objects in reality). Illusions are characterized by an erroneous perception of objects that exist in reality.

Finally, I would like to say that the human psyche is a rather complex device, and a separate consideration of processes such as sensation, perception, memory and thinking is artificial, because in reality all these phenomena occur in parallel or sequentially.

Sensations are the source of our knowledge about the world and ourselves. All living beings with a nervous system have the ability to sense sensations. Conscious sensations are present only in living beings that have a brain and cerebral cortex. On the one hand, sensations are objective, since they always reflect an external stimulus, and on the other hand, sensations are subjective, since they depend on the state of the nervous system and the individual characteristics of a person.

Objects and phenomena of reality that affect our senses are called irritants. Stimuli cause excitation in nervous tissue. The sensation arises as a reaction of the nervous system to a particular stimulus and, like any mental phenomenon, has a reflex nature.

Sensations can be classified on different grounds. According to the leading modality (qualitative characteristics of sensations), the following sensations are distinguished: visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, motor, internal (sensations of the internal state of the body).

Visual sensations are a reflection of both achromatic (white, black and intermediate shades of gray) and chromatic (various shades of red, yellow, green, blue) colors. Visual sensations are caused by exposure to light, i.e. electromagnetic waves emitted (or reflected) by physical bodies to the visual analyzer. The external perceptive “device” is the retina of the eye.

Auditory sensations are a reflection of sounds of different heights (high - low), strength (loud - quiet) and different qualities (musical sounds, noises). They are caused by the influence of sound waves created by vibrations of bodies.

Olfactory sensations are a reflection of smells. Olfactory sensations arise due to the penetration of particles of odorous substances spreading in the air into the upper part of the nasopharynx, where they affect the peripheral endings of the olfactory analyzer, embedded in the nasal mucosa.

Taste sensations are a reflection of certain chemical properties of flavoring substances dissolved in water or saliva. The sense of taste plays an important role in the eating process, in distinguishing between different types of food.

Tactile sensations are a reflection of the mechanical properties of objects that are detected when touching them, rubbing them, or hitting them. These sensations also reflect the temperature of environmental objects and external pain.

Said sensations are called exteroceptive and form a single group based on the type of analyzers located on or near the surface of the body. Exteroceptive sensations are divided into contact and distant. Contact sensations are caused by direct touching the surface of the body (taste, touch), distant- irritants acting on the senses at some distance (vision, hearing). Olfactory sensations occupy an intermediate position between them.

The next group consists of sensations that reflect the movements and states of the body itself. They are called motor or proprioceptive. Motor sensations reflect the position of the limbs, their movements and the degree of effort applied. Without them, it is impossible to perform movements normally and coordinate them. Feelings provisions(equilibrium) along with motor sensations play an important role in the process of perception (for example, stability).

In addition, there is a group of organic sensations - internal (interoceptive). These sensations reflect the internal state of the body. These include feelings of hunger, thirst, nausea, internal pain, etc.

Different types of sensations have something in common properties . These properties include:

quality- an essential feature of sensations that allows one to distinguish one type of sensation from another (for example, auditory from visual), as well as various variations of sensations within a given type (for example, by color, saturation);

intensity - a quantitative characteristic of sensations, which is determined by the strength of the current stimulus and the functional state of the receptor;

duration - temporal characteristics of sensations. It is determined by the functional state of the sense organs, the time of exposure to the stimulus and its intensity.

The quality of sensations of all types depends on the sensitivity of the appropriate type of analyzers.

The intensity of sensations depends not only on the strength of the stimulus and the level of adaptation of the receptors, but also on the stimuli acting in the at the moment to other senses. A change in the sensitivity of analyzers under the influence of irritation of other sense organs is called interaction of sensations. The interaction of sensations is manifested in an increase and decrease in sensitivity: weak stimuli increase the sensitivity of the analyzers, and strong ones decrease it.

The interaction of sensations is manifested in the phenomena of sensitization and synesthesia. Sensitization(Latin sensibilis - sensitive) - increased sensitivity of nerve centers under the influence of a stimulus. Sensitization can develop not only through the use of side stimuli, but also through exercise. Thus, musicians develop high auditory sensitivity, tasters develop olfactory and gustatory sensations. Synesthesia- this is the occurrence, under the influence of irritation of a certain analyzer, of a sensation characteristic of another analyzer. Thus, when exposed to sound stimuli, a person may experience visual images.

3. Perception: concept, types. Basic properties of perception.

Perception- This is a reflection of integral objects and phenomena with their direct impact on the senses. In the course of perception, individual sensations are ordered and combined into holistic images of things. Unlike sensations, which reflect individual properties of the stimulus, perception reflects the object as a whole, in the totality of its properties.

Representatives of Gestalt psychology interpret perception as a kind of holistic configuration - Gestalt. Integrity, according to Gestalt psychology, is always the selection of a figure from the background. Details, parts, properties can only be separated from the whole image later. Gestalt psychologists have established many laws of perceptual organization, completely different from the laws of associations, according to which elements are connected into a coherent structure (laws of proximity, isolation, good form, etc.). They convincingly proved that the holistic structure of the image affects the perception of individual elements and individual sensations. The same element, being included in different images of perception, is perceived differently. For example, two identical circles appear different if one is surrounded by large circles and the other by small ones, etc.

The main ones are identified features (properties) perception:

1) integrity and structure - perception reflects a holistic image of an object, which, in turn, is formed on the basis of generalized knowledge about the individual properties and qualities of the object. Perception is capable of capturing not only individual parts of sensations (individual notes), but also a generalized structure woven from these sensations (the entire melody);

2) constancy- preservation of certain properties of the image of an object that seem constant to us. (When the conditions of perception change.) Thus, an object known to us (for example, a hand), distant from us, will seem to us exactly the same size as the same object that we see close. The property of constancy is involved here: the properties of the image approach the true properties of this object. Our perceptual system corrects the inevitable errors caused by the infinite diversity of the environment and creates adequate images of perception. When a person puts on glasses that distort objects and finds himself in an unfamiliar room, he gradually learns to correct the distortions caused by the glasses, and finally ceases to notice these distortions, although they are reflected on the retina. So, the constancy of perception that is formed during life in the process of objective activity is a necessary condition for a person’s orientation in a changing world;

3) objectivity of perception - this is an act of objectification, i.e., attributing information received from the external world to this world. There is a certain system of actions that provides the subject with the discovery of the objectivity of the world, and the main role is played by touch and movement. Objectivity also plays a big role in regulating behavior. Thanks to this quality, we can distinguish, for example, a brick from a block of explosives, although they will be similar in appearance;

4) meaningfulness. Although perception arises as a result of the direct impact of a stimulus on receptors, perceptual images always have a certain semantic meaning. Perception is thus related to with thinking and speech. We perceive the world through the prism of meaning. To consciously perceive an object means mentally naming it and attributing the perceived object to a certain group, class of objects, and generalizing it in words. For example, when we look at a watch, we do not see something round, shiny, etc., we see a specific object - a watch.

5) activity. During the process of perception, the motor components of the analyzers are involved (hand movements during touch, eye movements during visual perception, etc.). In addition, it is necessary to be able to actively move your body during the process of perception;

6) property of apperception. The perceptual system actively “builds” the image of perception, selectively using not all, but the most informative properties, parts, elements of the stimulus. In this case, information from memory and past experience is also used, which is added to sensory data (apperception). During the process of formation, the image itself and the actions to build it are constantly adjusted through feedback, and the image is compared with the reference one. Influence installations perception is reflected in Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”.

Thus, perception depends not only on irritation, but also on the perceiving object itself - a specific person. Perception is always affected by the personality characteristics of the perceiver, his attitude towards what is perceived, needs, aspirations, emotions at the time of perception, etc. Perception is thus closely related to the content of a person’s mental life.

Classification of perception.

At the core one of the classifications of perception, as well as sensations, lie differences in analyzers involved in perception. In accordance with which analyzer plays the predominant role in perception, visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, olfactory and gustatory perceptions are distinguished.

Typically, the perception process is carried out by a number of analyzers interacting with each other. Motor sensations are involved to one degree or another in all types of perceptions. An example is tactile perception, which involves tactile and kinesthetic analyzers. Similarly, the motor analyzer is also involved in auditory and visual perception.

Different types of perception are rarely found in their pure form; they are usually combined, and as a result complex types of perceptions arise. Thus, a student’s perception of text in a lesson includes visual, auditory and kinesthetic perception.

basis second classification are forms of existence of matter. Distinguishes the perception of space, time and movement.

Perception of space This is the perception of shape, size, relative position of objects, their relief, distance and direction. In the perception of the spatial properties of things, tactile and kinesthetic sensations play a certain role, but the basis is visual data.

Two mechanisms play a significant role in the perception of magnitude: accommodation and convergence. The perception of depth and distance is achieved through binocularity. Perception of the direction in which objects are located is possible not only with the help of the visual, but also with the help of the auditory, motor and olfactory analyzer.

Perception of time- reflection of the objective duration, speed and sequence of phenomena of reality. This type of perception is based on a rhythmic change of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system. Kinesthetic and auditory sensations are involved in the perception of time.

The perception of time is determined by the content that fills it. So, busy with interesting activities, we do not notice the passage of time. While idle, we, on the contrary, do not know how to kill time. However, when we remember, we will evaluate the first interval as longer than the second. This phenomenon reveals the law of the filled time period. The perception of time is also influenced by a person's emotions. The waiting time for a desired event is tedious, but for an unwanted, painful event, it is reduced.

Motion perception- this is a reflection of the change in position that objects occupy in space. There are two ways to perceive movement:

1. When the image of an object on the retina remains more or less motionless.

2. The eye remains relatively motionless, and the image of the object is mixed on the retina.

There are real and apparent movements.

An example of apparent movement is stroboscopic movement, on the principle of which cinema is based. It is known that the visual sensation does not disappear immediately, so we do not see flickering, but see a stable image.

Illusions of perception

The Ebbinghaus illusion (1902).
Which circle is bigger? The one surrounded by small circles
or the one that is surrounded by large ones?

They are the same.

Muller-Lyer illusion (Franz Muller-Lyer, 1889)
(transferring the properties of a whole figure to its individual parts)

Which of the horizontal segments is longer?

...................................

Wife or mother-in-law (two picture options).

Who do you see here?
A young girl or a sad old woman?

Sensation is one of the simplest and at the same time important psychological processes that signal what is happening at a given moment in time in the environment around us and in our own body. It gives people the opportunity to navigate the conditions that surround them and connect their actions and actions with them. That is, sensation is cognition of the environment.

Feelings - what are they?

Sensations are a reflection of certain properties that are inherent in an object, with their direct impact on human or animal senses. With the help of sensations, we gain knowledge about objects and phenomena, such as, for example, shape, smell, color, size, temperature, density, taste, etc., we capture various sounds, comprehend space and make movements. Sensation is the primary source that gives a person knowledge about the world around him.

If a person were deprived of absolutely all senses, then he would not be able to understand the environment by any means. After all, it is sensation that gives a person the material for the most complex psychological processes, such as imagination, perception, thinking, etc.

For example, those people who are blind from birth will never be able to imagine what blue, red or any other color looks like. And a person who has been deaf since birth has no idea what his mother’s voice, the purr of a cat or the babbling of a stream sounds like.

So, a sensation in psychology is something that is generated as a result of irritation of certain sense organs. Then irritation is an effect on the sense organs, and irritants are phenomena or objects that in one way or another affect the sense organs.

Sense organs - what are they?

We know that sensation is a process of cognition of the environment. And with the help of what do we feel, and therefore understand the world?

Even in ancient Greece, five sense organs and sensations corresponding to them were identified. We have known them since school. These are auditory, olfactory, tactile, visual and gustatory sensations. Since sensation is a reflection of the world around us, and we use not only these senses, modern science has significantly increased information about the possible types of feelings. In addition, the term “sense organs” today has a conditional interpretation. “Sensation organs” is a more accurate name.

The endings of the sensory nerve are the main part of any sensory organ. They are called receptors. Millions of receptors have sensory organs such as the tongue, eye, ear and skin. When a stimulus acts on a receptor, a nerve impulse occurs that is transmitted along the sensory nerve to certain areas of the cerebral cortex.

In addition, there is sensory experience that is generated internally. That is, not as a result of physical impact on the receptors. Subjective sensation is such an experience. One example of this sensation is tinnitus. In addition, the feeling of happiness is also a subjective feeling. Thus, we can conclude that subjective sensations are individual.

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.

Thus, 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. Let's look at them in order.

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

Visual sensations

This is a feeling 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. There are chromatic colors - various shades of yellow, blue, green and red, and achromatic - these are black, white and intermediate shades of gray.

As a result of the influence of light rays on the sensitive part of our eye (the retina), visual sensations arise. There are two types of cells in the retina that respond to color - rods (about 130) and cones (about seven million).

The activity of cones occurs only during the daytime, but for rods, on the contrary, such light is too bright. Our vision of color is the result of the work of cones. At dusk, rods become active, and a person sees everything in black and white. By the way, this is where the famous expression comes from: that all cats are gray at night.

Of course, the less light, the worse a person sees. Therefore, in order to prevent unnecessary eye strain, it is strongly recommended not to read at dusk or in the dark. Such strenuous activity has a negative impact on vision and may lead to the development of myopia.

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.

Skin sensations

Tactile sensation is the sensation of touch and temperature, that is, the 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 sensations

Olfaction 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 an extremely important ability for survival. Without these sensations, we would know nothing about our own body.

Motor sensations

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 also 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.