Sensation And Perception

by May, Mike; Chudler, Eric H., Ph.d.

• ISBN13: 9780791089583
• ISBN10: 0791089584
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-06-30
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Everything that we experience depends on sensing and perceiving. Specialized receptors for the five senses--hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching--capture information from chemical compounds, compressed air, electromagnetic waves, mechanical sensations, and more. From that information, our brain creates an impression of the world around us. Sensation and Perception focuses on how these systems work, from the mechanics of individual cells to the interactions of thousands of cells in the brain. This book also delves into how our sensory capabilities change with age or damage. Readers of this new title from the acclaimed Gray Matter series will learn to understand how sensation and perception prove crucial to interpreting our surroundings, enjoying them, and even surviving in them.

Table of Contents

The Basics of Sensation and Perception	p. 1
Visual Sensation	p. 11
Visual Perception	p. 25
Hearing	p. 39
Smell	p. 49
Taste	p. 57
Touch	p. 66
Proprioception	p. 78
Synesthesia	p. 86
Damage and Repair	p. 94
Notes	p. 103
Glossary	p. 104
Bibliography	p. 109
Further Reading	p. 110
Index	p. 114
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Everything that we experience depends on sensing and perceiving. Specialized receptors for the five senses—hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching—capture information from chemical compounds, compressed air, electromagnetic waves, mechanical sensations, and more. From that information, our brain creates an impression of the world around us. Sensation and Perception focuses on how these systems work, from the mechanics of individual cells to the interactions of thousands of cells in the brain. This book also delves into how our sensory capabilities change with age or damage. Readers of this title from the acclaimed Gray Matter series will learn to understand how sensation and perception prove crucial to interpreting our surroundings, enjoying them, and even surviving in them.