Sense Perception
The word 'perception' has two general uses. One is our opinion of something. This definition usually mixes the physical observation of something with the emotional or instinctive response, leading to statements like, "I perceive the image on the left to be intriguing." In everyday usage, this definition has its function. For the purposes of this class, however, perception deals only with what you physically perceive through your senses, so a statement would be something like, "I have difficulty perceiving both ways of seeing the image at the same time." It will also encompass the role the brain plays in the way that we interpret the sensory input.
Perspective
Where are you? You may say, "I am in front of a computer" or "I am on Earth." Yet, what is our understanding of where we are physically on the planet? We can see a very limited amount around us and must rely upon maps and pictures to estimate distance and relative size. Consider the video to the right and how limited our senses are. |
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Context
So much of our interpretation of sensory information is based upon context and perspective. Consider the images to the right. How does your interpretation of the images change when you look at them further back? Two central questions to consider when thinking about the role of sense perception as a Way of Knowing... How does the normal ability of our senses hinder or enhance our understanding? "The more I see, the less I know for sure." |
The video to the left illustrates how much our brains interpret the world around us, sometimes in ways that are based more in coincidence.
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limits of sense perception
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
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We may think we notice much of what goes on around us. After all we have eyes and we are relatively clever. While there is much that we do see and process, our brains are limited and needs to focus on just a few things at a time to make sense of them. This focused attention allows us to pick out our friend's voice in a crowded room while ignoring the rest of the sounds; it enables us to pick out a friend at the mall from a distance, ignoring the rest of the images that surround us. However, recognizing the limitations of our senses is imperative not only for evaluating sense perception as a Way of Knowing, but also for protecting ourselves as Apollo Robbins reveals on the left. In what other ways might this focusing of our attention be a help or hindrance?
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Watch the video below and then read the explanation to the right.
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"Humans see what they want to see." |
Now that you are bit more savvy, test your awareness by watching the video to the right. |
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Sound Theory
If we have the ability to see, this sense tends to dominate our perception of the world. However, sound affects us more than we realize.
Consider the McDonald's in England that plays classical music to stop brawling (click HERE for the story) or the use of music as therapy (below). How much does culture and/or past experience influence our interpretation of music? How much does sound and vibration influence our bodies in ways we are not conscious of? |
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If we are consider the role of music as therapy, should we also consider the less traditional approach of healing through vibrations (such as presented HERE)? How are we to evaluate how sound influences us?
“Reality is a sound, you have to tune in to it not just keep yelling.” |
Who nose?
Our response to a bad smell can be everything from a crinkled nose to throwing up. On the other hand, the smell of a steak being barbequed or freshly baked chocolate chip cookies can start our mouths watering. We know smell affects us by triggering memories or even physical responses. But what can we know from our sense of smell?
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Just like the rainbow shrimp has a much better ability to see color variations, dogs have a better ability to smell. It changes the way that they perceive the world, as their sense of smell creates an understanding of primal emotions, as well as location and time.
How does the way that we prioritize sight over smell influence the way we perceive the world? |
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Enhancing our senses
We have had ways to modify our senses through technology for a long time. Simple things like a telescope or a magnifying glass help us see things better. Hearing aids or reading glasses are common to help senses that have challenges. But new technology enhances our senses in ways that cross the senses, using the brain to help interpret sensory data. Consider the two TED talks below about the role of technology, as it identifies 'weaknesses' in our senses and helps to strengthen our ability to take in the world around us.
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Retraining our Brains
We normally think of sense perception as the five senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. But what about our sense of balance? Our sense of hunger? Our sense of time? |
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The video above and to the left, both address the ways in which our brain processes information. How much of our sense perception is actually learned behavior? The examples from these videos are helping people regain "normal" functionality, but would it be possible to use similar techniques to enhance our senses? |
taste
It's well known that different cultures find different kinds of food appealing. For example, Americans like peanut butter, while many other cultures do not. In the Philippines, many like the taste of balut, a mostly formed duck boiled while still in the shell. Other cultures may not prefer this taste--or perhaps the idea of the food. And this is where our preconceived ideas of what is 'normal' or what tastes 'good' influence our sense perception. There is nothing inherently wrong with eating insects (click HERE for a National Geographic story about cultures that have and to eat them). However, many people find them difficult to swallow.
We are and can be greatly influenced in our opinion by culture and context. Consider the video below. |