Feeling is in psychology what? Sensation and perception in psychology

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 relevant: "Feeling"? In psychology, this phenomenon has been studied for quite a long time, trying to give a more precise definition. To date, scientists are still trying to understand the depth of the inner world and human physiology. Sensation is in general psychology the process of displaying certain qualities, as well as features of objects and phenomena of reality in the conditions of direct impact on the senses. The ability to obtain this experience is characteristic of living organisms that have a nervous system. And for conscious sensations, living beings must possess the brain.

The primary stage before the appearance of such a mental process was characterized by simple irritability, through which a selective response to an important effect from an 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.

The sensation is in psychology the first link in the knowledge of the external and inner world by man. There are different types of this phenomenon, depending on the stimuli that produce them. These objects or phenomena have a connection with different types of energy and, accordingly, generate different in quality sensations: auditory, skin, visual. Psychology also emphasizes feelings related to the muscular system and internal organs. Such phenomena are not realized by man. Exceptions are only painful sensations that go from the internal organs. They do not reach the sphere of consciousness, but they are perceived by the nervous system. Also, people get sensations that are associated with such concepts as time, acceleration, vibration and other, vital factors.

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

Characteristics of types of sensations

The patterns of sensations in psychology provide for a description of their various types. The first classification refers to the ancient period. It is based on analyzers, which define such types as sense of smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing.

Another classification of sensations in psychology is represented by BG Ananyev (he distinguished 11 species). There is also a systematic typology of the authorship of the English physiologist C. Sherrington. It includes interoceptive, proprioceptive and exteroceptive types of sensations. Let us consider them in more detail.

Interoceptive type of sensation: description

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

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

Proprioceptive sensation type: description

Information about the state of our body, gives a person a proprioceptive sensation. In psychology, several subspecies of this type are distinguished, namely, the sense of statics (balance) and kinesthetics (motions). Muscles and joints (tendons and ligaments) are locations of receptor localization. The name of such sensitive areas is interesting enough - Paccini's body. If we talk about the peripheral receptors of proprioceptive sensations, then they are localized in the tubules of the inner ear.

The concept of sensation in psychology and psychophysiology has been studied quite well. This involved AA Orbeli, PK Anokhin, NA Bernshtein.

Exteroceptive sensation type: description

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

Olfactory sensation in psychology is controversial scientists, because they do not know where to exactly place it. The object that emits the odor is at a distance, but the fragrance molecules have contact with the nasal receptors. Or it happens that the object is already missing, and the smell still hovers in the air. Also olfactory sensations are important in eating food and determining the quality of foods.

Intermodal sensations: a description

As in the case of smelling, there are other sensations that are difficult to classify. For example, this is vibration sensitivity. It includes sensations from the auditory analyzer, as well as from the skin and the muscular system. According to L. E. Komendantov, vibration sensitivity is one of the forms of sound perception. It is proved its immense value in the life of people with limited or no hearing and voice. Such people have a high level of development of tactile-vibrational phenomenology and can determine a moving truck or other machine even at great distances.

Other classification of sensations

Also, the classification of sensations in the psychology of M.Had, which substantiated the genetic approach to the separation of sensitivity, is also subject to study. It distinguished two of its types - protopathic (organic sensations - thirst, hunger, primitive and physiological) and epicritic (this includes all known sensations of the scientist).

Also developed the classification of sensations BM Teplov, highlighting two types of receptors - interoreceptors and exteroceptors.

Characteristic properties of sensations

It should be noted that the sensations of the same modality can be absolutely different from each other. The properties of this cognitive process are its individual characteristics: quality, intensity, spatial localization, duration, thresholds of sensations. In psychology, these phenomena were described by physiologists, who were the first to start studying 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 stimulant. It is impossible to measure quality with the aid of any numerator. If we take a visual sensation in psychology, then its quality will be the color. For taste and olfactory sensitivity - this is the concept of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, fragrant and so on.

The quantitative characteristic of 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 light or dark indoors. Intensity is experienced differently depending on such factors: the strength of the acting stimulus (physical parameters) and the functional state of the receptor that is exposed. The more 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 the duration, which indicates the time indices 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 prolonged. This is an objective factor. Subjective is the functional state of the analyzer.

Incentives that irritate the senses have their own location in space. Sensations help to locate an object, which plays an important role for human life.

Thresholds of sensations in psychology: absolute and relative

The absolute threshold is understood as those physical parameters of the stimulus in the minimum amount that cause the sensation. There are stimuli that lie lower than the absolute threshold level, and do not cause sensitivity. But on the human body, these patterns of sensations still influence. In psychology, researcher GV Gershuni presented the results of experiments in which it was found that sound stimuli, which were lower than the absolute threshold, caused a certain electrical activity of the brain and an increase in the pupil. This zone is a sub-sensory area.

There is also the upper absolute threshold - this is the index of the stimulus, which can not be adequately perceived by the senses. Such experiences cause pain, but not always (ultrasound).

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

Perception Characteristics

Sensation and perception in psychology are the primary cognitive processes in relation to memory and thinking. Brief description of this phenomenon of the psyche, we have given, but now we turn to perception. It is a mental process of an integral display of objects and phenomena of reality when they are in direct contact with the organs of the senses. Sensation and perception in psychology were studied by physiologists and psychologists LA Wenger, AV Zaporozhets, VP Zinchenko, TS Komarova and other scientists. The process of collecting information provides a person with an orientation in the external world.

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

Types of perception

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

Perception properties

SL Rubinshtein states that the perception of people has a generalized and directed character.

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 the violin as a musical instrument, and the plate as a cutlery.

The second property is integrity. Sensations communicate the elements of the object, its certain qualities to the brain, and through perception these separate traits are formed into a holistic image. At the concert of the orchestra, we listen to the music holistically, and not the sounds of each musical instrument separately (violin, double bass, cello).

The third property is constancy. It characterizes the relative constancy of the forms, shades of color and magnitudes 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 generalization. A person is peculiar to classify objects and refer them to a certain class, depending on the signs that are available.

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

The sixth property is selectivity. First of all, objects that have a connection with personal experience or human activity are perceived. For example, looking at a performance, an actor and an outsider will experience differently what is happening on the stage.

Each process can proceed both in norm and in pathology. Perceptual disorders include hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to ordinary stimuli of the external environment), hypesthesia (decreased sensitivity), agnosia (impaired recognition of objects in a state of clear consciousness and a slight decrease in overall sensitivity), hallucinations (perception of non-existent objects in reality). Illusions are characteristic for erroneous perception of objects existing in reality.

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