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Sensory Information

Definition

Sensory information refers to the data received through our senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing) that is then transmitted to the brain for processing.

Analogy

Think of sensory information like a group of reporters. Each reporter (sense) gathers news (information) from their respective beats (the environment), and sends it back to the newsroom (brain) where it's processed and made sense of.

Related terms

Perception: This is how our brain interprets sensory information. It's like the editor in our analogy who takes all the reports and turns them into a coherent story.

Sensory Adaptation: This is when we become less sensitive to constant stimuli. Like when a reporter stops noticing background noise at a busy event they're covering.

Sensory Threshold: The minimum level of stimulus required for detection by one of the senses. It's like determining how big a story needs to be before it gets reported on.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.