Patterns of sensations
| Parameter name | Value |
| Topic of the article: | Patterns of sensations |
| Category (thematic category) | Psychology |
TO patterns sensations include thresholds of sensitivity, adaptation, interaction, contrast, and synesthesia.
Sensitivity thresholds ... Not every strength of the stimulus is capable of evoking sensations. Under the action of a very strong stimulus, a moment may come when sensations cease to arise. We do not hear sounds with a frequency higher than 20 thousand hertz. An overpowering stimulus instead of this kind of sensation causes pain. Consequently, sensations arise when exposed to a stimulus of a certain intensity. The psychological characteristic of the relationship between the intensity of sensation and the strength of stimuli is expressed by the concept of the threshold of sensations, or the threshold of sensitivity.
Between the sensitivity (threshold) and the strength of the stimulus, there is inverse relationship : the more force is needed for sensation to arise, the lower the sensitivity of a person. Sensitivity thresholds are individual for each person.
Adaptation - adaptation of sensitivity to a constantly acting stimulus, manifested in a decrease or increase in thresholds. In life, the phenomenon of adaptation is well known to everyone. The first minute, when a person enters the river, the water seems cold to him. Then the feeling of cold disappears, the water seems warm enough. This is observed in all types of sensitivity, except for pain.
Interaction of sensations - ϶ᴛᴏ change in the sensitivity of one analyzer system under the influence of the activity of another analyzer system.
General pattern the interaction of sensations is as follows: weak stimuli in one analytic system increase the sensitivity of the other system, while strong stimuli lower it. The increase in sensitivity as a result of the interaction of analyzers, as well as systematic exercises, is commonly called sensitization.
The contrast of sensations . Contrast - change in the intensity and quality of sensations under the influence of a previous or concomitant stimulus. With the simultaneous action of two stimuli, simultaneous contrast.
The phenomenon is widely known consistent contrast. After a cold, a mild thermal irritant feels hot. Feeling sour increases your sensitivity to sweets.
The phenomenon of synesthesia . Synœesthesia - excitation by the arisen sensations of one modality of sensations of another modality. The interaction of sensations occurring in the central nuclei of the analyzer leads to the fact that a person under pressure, for example, sounds, can experience color sensations, color can cause a feeling of cold. This mutual influence is called synesthesia .
Regularities of sensations - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Patterns of sensations" 2017, 2018.
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The classification of sensations is made on several grounds. Physiological bases of sensations. Sensation can arise only when an object is exposed to the sense organ. A sense organ is an anatomical and physiological apparatus located on the periphery of the body or ....
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Sensations
The concept of "sensation"
Types of sensations: exteroceptive, proprioceptive, interoceptive
Regularities of sensations: thresholds, adaptation, interaction, synesthesia.
Demand: be able to classify the types of sensations.
1. The concept of "sensation"
Sensation is a reflection in a person's consciousness of individual properties and qualities of objects and phenomena that directly affect his sense organs.
The sense organs are the mechanisms by which information about our environment enters the cerebral cortex.
* The ability to feel is present in all living beings with a nervous system, but only those who have a brain with a highly developed cortex can be aware of their sensations. If the latter is temporarily turned off (with the help of anesthesia or drugs), then the individual loses the ability to consciously react even to potent painful stimuli
2. Types of sensations: exteroceptive, proprioceptive, interoceptive
English physiologist I. Sherrington identified three main classes of sensations:
1) exteroceptivearising from the action of external stimuli on receptors located on the surface of the body.
2) interoceptive (organic), signaling what is happening in the body (feelings of hunger, thirst, pain, etc.);
3) proprioceptivelocated in the muscles and tendons, with the help of muscular-motor sensations, a person receives information: about the position of the body in space, about the relative position of all its parts, about the movement of the body and its parts, about contraction, stretching and relaxation of muscles, etc.
3. Regularities of sensations: thresholds, adaptation, interaction, synesthesia
Sensation thresholds
The lower threshold of sensation is the minimum value or strength of the stimulus that is capable of causing nervous excitement in the analyzer, sufficient for sensation to arise. (The lower the value of this threshold, the higher the sensitivity of this analyzer).
The upper threshold of sensation- that maximum value of the stimulus, above which this irritation ceases to be felt. (A person hears, for example, 20,000 vibrations per second. The absolute threshold of sensation is different people are not the same. The value of the threshold of sensations changes with age. The magnitude of the absolute threshold can be influenced by the nature of a person's activity, his functional state, the strength and duration of irritation, etc.)
Difference threshold of sensation (threshold of discrimination) - that is the minimum difference in the intensity of two homogeneous stimuli that a person is able to feel. (In order to catch this difference, it is necessary for it to reach a certain value. For example, sounds of 400 - 402 vibrations in 1 sec. Are perceived as sounds of the same pitch; 2 weights weighing 500 and 510 g seem equally heavy. The smaller the value of the difference threshold, the higher the differentiating ability of a given analyzer to distinguish stimuli).
Adaptation
Adaptation - increase or decrease in the sensitivity of analyzers as a result of continuous or prolonged exposure to irritants. The speed and completeness of adaptation of various sensory systems are not the same: high adaptability is noted in the sense of smell, in tactile sensations (a person quickly ceases to notice the pressure of clothing on the body) and visual and auditory adaptation occurs much more slowly. Pain sensations differ in the least degree of adaptation: pain is a signal of dangerous disturbances in the body's work, and it is clear that a quick adaptation of pain sensations could threaten him with death.
Interaction of sensations, synesthesia
Increased sensitivity as a result interaction of sensations or the appearance of other stimuli is called sensitization... The sensitivity of the analyzer can be increased with the help of pharmacological means, as well as with the activity of other analyzers.
Synesthesia - sometimes under the influence of one stimulus, sensations characteristic of another can arise. (For example, in some people, music evokes color sensations, and some color combinations in turn affect temperature sensitivity).
The general properties of sensations are quality, intensity, duration, and localization.
Qualityis a property of sensation that distinguishes him from others. The sensations of one species differ qualitatively from another, as well as different sensations within the same species. Examples of qualities, sensations are different colors and shades, sounds of different heights, different smells, tastes, etc. The quality of each sensation is determined by the property of the object that causes it. Each analyzer reflects a wide range of qualities. The image of perception reflects the objective definition of the world. The qualities given in sensations are included as an integral part of the objective characteristics of perceptions.
The intensity of the sensationsis their quantitative characteristic. The feeling of the same quality is always stronger or weaker. The intensity is determined by the strength of the stimulus. The quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the stimulus are closely related.
Each sensation is also characterized by duration, which is its temporal characteristic. The duration of the sensation depends on the duration of the stimulus.
Feelings are characteristic localization... This means that any image of sensation has elements of the spatial location of the stimulus. Color, light, sound are related to the source. Tactile, pain, temperature sensations - with the part of the body that causes this sensation. At the same time, the localization of pain is more blurred and less accurate.
General patterns of sensations Sensitivity thresholds
An irritant, acting on the analyzer, does not always evoke a feeling. The touch of a fluff to the body cannot be felt. If the stimulus is very strong, there may come a point when the sensation ceases to arise. We do not hear sounds with a frequency of more than 20 thousand Hertz. An irritant that is too strong can cause pain. Consequently, sensations arise when a stimulus of a certain intensity acts.
The psychological characteristic of the relationship between the intensity of sensations and the strength of the stimulus is expressed by the concept of the threshold of sensitivity. There are such thresholds of sensitivity: lower absolute, upper absolute, and discrimination threshold.
The smallest stimulus force that, acting on the analyzer, causes a barely noticeable sensation, is called lower absolute sensitivity threshold... The lower threshold characterizes the sensitivity of the analyzer.
There is a visual relationship between the absolute sensitivity and the threshold value: the lower the threshold, the higher the sensitivity, and vice versa. Our analyzers are very sensitive organs. They are excited by the very low energy of the corresponding stimuli. This applies primarily to hearing, sight and smell. The threshold of one human olfactory cell for the corresponding aromatic substances does not exceed 8 molecules. And to evoke taste sensations, you need at least 25,000 times more molecules than to create olfactory sensations. The very force of the stimulus, at which the sensation of this type still exists, is called upper absolute threshold of sensitivity... Sensitivity thresholds are individual for each person.
This psychological pattern should be foreseen by the teacher, especially the primary school. Some children have decreased visual and auditory sensitivity. For them to see and hear well, it is necessary to create conditions for the best display of the teacher's language and the notes on the board. With the help of the senses, we can not only state the presence or absence of one or another stimulus, but also distinguish stimuli by their strength, intensity and quality.
Minimally increase the strength of the acting stimulus, which causes subtle differences between sensations, is called discrimination threshold.
In life, we constantly notice a change in light, an increase or decrease in sound. These are the manifestations of the discrimination threshold or differential threshold.
If you ask two or three people to halve a line about a meter long, we will see that each will have its own dividing point. You need to measure the results with a ruler. The one who divides more precisely has the best discrimination sensitivity. The ratio of a certain group of sensations to an increase in the magnitude of the initial stimulus is constant. This was established by the German physiologist E. Weber (1795-1878).
Based on the teachings of Weber, the German physicist G. Fechner (1801 - 1887) experimentally showed that the increase in the intensity of sensation is not directly proportional to the increase in the strength of the stimulus, but more slowly. If the strength of the stimulus increases exponentially, the intensity of the sensation increases in arithmetic progression. This position is also formulated as follows: the intensity of sensation is proportional to the logarithm of the strength of the stimulus. It is called the Weber-Fechner law.
The work of analyzers, the process of the emergence of sensations in general, are subject to certain patterns. These include thresholds of sensitivity (or thresholds of sensation), adaptation, interaction, contrast, and synesthesia.
Sensitivity thresholds.Sensations can arise only with irritation of a certain intensity. The psychological characteristic of the relationship between the intensity of sensation and the strength of stimuli is expressed by the concept of the threshold of sensitivity. Allocate the threshold of absolute sensitivity and the threshold of differential sensitivity. Absolute sensitivity is characterized by the lower and upper thresholds of sensations. The smallest force of stimuli that can cause nervous excitement in the analyzer, sufficient for sensation to arise, is called the lower absolute threshold of sensation(the lower the value of this threshold, the higher the sensitivity of this analyzer). Greatest strength irritant called the upper absolute threshold of sensations.
Thresholds limit the zone of sensitivity of the analyzer to this type of stimuli. For example, the human eye is capable of reflecting electromagnetic waves with a length of 390 (violet) to 780 (red) mmq; the human ear is able to distinguish sound waves with a vibration frequency of 20 to 20,000 Hz.
The values \u200b\u200bof the absolute thresholds of sensation change depending on the nature of the activity, the person's age, the functional state of the receptor, the strength and duration of irritation
The minimum difference in the intensity of two homogeneous stimuli that a person is able to distinguish is called discrimination threshold, or difference threshold.Not every difference in the intensity of two homogeneous stimuli is felt. It is necessary that this difference reaches a certain value. The lower the value of the difference threshold, the higher the sensitivity of discrimination, that is, the ability of a given analyzer to differentiate stimuli.
The absolute and differential thresholds of sensations are of great importance in the practical activity of a person, especially when mastering the technique of physical exercises. There are significant individual differences in the values \u200b\u200bof the absolute and differential thresholds of sensations. The sensitivity of discrimination develops in the process of human practical activity. So, among highly qualified gymnasts, the difference threshold of musculoskeletal sensations is significantly higher than among beginners.
Sensitivity can be improved in two directions: pushing the boundaries of sensitivity (by decreasing the lower and increasing its upper absolute thresholds, as well as increasing the discrimination threshold) and maintaining sensitivity (adequacy of reactions) in conditions of various kinds of interference, in extreme conditions (development of noise immunity of sensations).
The sensitivity of the analyzers, determined by the magnitude of the absolute thresholds, changes under the influence of a number of physiological and psychological conditions. The term “adaptation” is used to characterize this phenomenon.
Adaptation.This is the adaptation of the body to environmental conditions, in particular, a change in the threshold of sensitivity as it gets used to
to a constantly acting stimulus. In life, the phenomenon of adaptation is well known to everyone. For example, when a person enters a river, the water at first seems cold to him, then the feeling of cold passes, the water seems warm. This applies to all types of sensations, except pain.
There are two types of adaptation: negative, which is expressed in the dulling of sensation under the influence of a strong stimulus or the disappearance of sensation in the process of prolonged action of the stimulus (adaptation to bright light, to clothes), and positive, which is expressed in increased sensitivity under the influence of a weak stimulus (adaptation to darkness , to silence).
Interaction of sensations.A change in the sensitivity of the analyzer under the influence of irritation of other sense organs is caused by the interaction of sensations. The interaction of sensations, like adaptation, manifests itself in an increase and decrease in sensitivity. Weak stimuli increase, and strong stimuli decrease the sensitivity of the analyzers when they interact. For example, weak auditory stimuli increase the color sensitivity of the visual analyzer. At the same time, excessively strong sounds and noise sharply reduce the distinctive sensitivity of the eye.
The increase in sensitivity as a result of the interaction of analyzers and exercise is called sensitization.
Synesthesia.The appearance under the influence of a stimulus of one analyzer of a sensation characteristic of another analyzer is called synesthesia. The most common are visual-auditory synesthesias, when visual images appear in a person under the influence of sound stimuli. However, not all people experience synesthesia. It is known that the composer Scriabin possessed the ability of "color hearing".
The contrast of sensations.In practical activity, contrasts of sensations play an important role, which cause a change in the intensity and quality of sensations under the influence of a previous or concomitant stimulus. The same figure appears lighter on a black background than on a white background. The green shape on the red background appears to be more saturated. Such a contrast with the joint action of two stimuli is called simultaneous. The phenomenon of consistent contrast is widely known. After a cold, a mild lukewarm irritant feels hot. Feeling sour increases your sensitivity to sweets. Successive contrasts are studied in detail in visual sensations. If you fix a light figure with your eye for 15-20 seconds and then turn your gaze to a gray surface, then "you can notice a clear dark spot. This will be a consistent image. A consistent contrast can also be chromatic. After fixing a red figure, the eye sees on a gray background. a bluish-green figure, etc.
All sensations can be characterized in terms of their properties and patterns. These include: quality (modality), intensity, duration and spatial localization, absolute and relative thresholds of sensations, adaptation, interaction of sensations and contrast.
Quality is a property that characterizes the basic information displayed by a given sensation, distinguishes it from other types of sensations and varies within the limits of a given type of sensation. For example, taste sensations: sweet or sour, bitter or salty.
The intensity of sensation is its quantitative characteristic and depends on the strength of the acting stimulus and the functional state of the receptor, which determines the degree of readiness of the receptor to perform its functions. For example, if you have a runny nose, the intensity of the odors you perceive may be distorted.
The duration of the sensation is a time characteristic of the sensation that has arisen. It is also determined by the functional state of the sense organ, but mainly by the time of action of the stimulus and its intensity.
Sensations have a so-called latent (latent) period. When an irritant is exposed to the sensory organ, the sensation does not arise immediately, but after a while. The latency period for different types of sensations is not the same.
For example, for tactile sensations it is 130 ms, for pain sensations - 370 ms, and for gustatory sensations - only 50 ms.
For sensations, the spatial localization of the stimulus is characteristic, it gives us information about the localization of the stimulus in space, that is, we can say where the light comes from, the heat goes, or which part of the body is affected by the stimulus.
All these properties reflect the qualitative characteristics of sensations. However, quantitative parameters, in other words, the degree of sensitivity, are no less important. There are two types of sensitivity: absolute sensitivity and sensitivity to difference. Absolute sensitivity refers to the ability to sense weak stimuli, and sensitivity to difference refers to the ability to perceive slight differences between stimuli. However, not all irritation is sensation.
We do not hear the ticking of the clock in the other room. We do not see sixth magnitude stars. In order for a sensation to arise, the strength of the stimulus must have a certain value. The minimum value of the stimulus at which a sensation first occurs is called the absolute sensation threshold. Stimuli, the strength of which lies below the absolute threshold of sensation, do not give sensations.
The magnitude of the stimulus, at which the sensation begins, Fechner called the lower absolute threshold. Absolute thresholds - upper and lower - define the boundaries of the surrounding world available to our perception. The absolute threshold value characterizes the absolute sensitivity. The weaker the stimulus causing the sensation, the higher the sensitivity. Thus, the absolute sensitivity is numerically equal to a value inversely proportional to the absolute threshold of sensations.
The absolute sensitivity of the analyzer is equally dependent on both the lower and upper sensation thresholds. The magnitude of the absolute thresholds, both lower and upper, varies depending on different conditions: the nature of the person's activity and age, the functional state of the receptor, the strength and duration of the action of stimulation, etc.
Another characteristic of sensitivity is sensitivity to difference. It is also called relative, or difference.
The smallest increase in the strength of the acting stimulus, at which there is a barely noticeable distinction in the strength or quality of sensations, is called the threshold of sensitivity to discrimination. In life, we constantly notice a change in lighting, an increase or decrease in the strength of sound. This is a manifestation of the threshold of discrimination. G. Fechner - formulated a law called Fechner's law: if the intensity of stimuli increases exponentially, then sensations will grow in arithmetic progression.
In another formulation, this law sounds like this: the intensity of sensations increases in proportion to the logarithm of the intensity of the stimulus. The main meaning of this pattern is that the intensity of sensations increases not proportionally to the change in stimuli, but much more slowly.
Ask two or three people to split a line about a meter long in half. It turns out that each of the subjects will plot their midpoint. Measure with a millimeter ruler, who divided more accurately, this subject will have the best discrimination sensitivity.
Sensitivity to discrimination, as noted by B.G. Ananiev, is the source of a complex thought process - comparison. In the development of discriminatory sensitivity, the word plays an exceptional role.
The word highlights and fixes subtle differences in sensations, draws a person's attention to the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the properties of the reflected object and leads to the development of observation.
Therefore, the improvement of discriminatory sensitivity in children is inextricably linked with the development of speech in the learning process.
Adaptation - adaptation of sensitivity to a constantly acting stimulus, manifested in a decrease or increase in thresholds. In life, the phenomenon of adaptation is well known to everyone. The first minute, when a person enters the river, the water seems cold to him. Then the feeling of cold disappears, the water seems warm enough. This is observed in all types of sensitivity, except for pain.
The degree of adaptation of different analyzer systems is not the same:
- - high adaptability is noted in olfactory sensations, tactile (we do not notice the pressure of clothing on the body), light;
- - much less in auditory.
We meet with minor adaptation in pain sensations. Pain signals the destruction of an organ, and it is clear that adaptation to pain can lead to the death of the body. In the visual analyzer, tempo and light adaptation are distinguished.
The course of adaptation has been studied in detail. Getting into a darkened room, a person at the beginning does not see anything, after 3-5 minutes he begins to distinguish well the light entering there.
The increase in sensitivity is influenced by various reasons: changes occur in the receptor, the opening of the pupil increases, the work of the rod apparatus is enhanced, but basically the sensitivity increases due to the conditioned reflex work of the central mechanisms of the analyzer. If the usual adaptation is associated with an increase in sensitivity, then light adaptation is associated with a decrease in light sensitivity.
Interaction of sensations. The interaction of sensations is a change in the sensitivity of one analytical system under the influence of the activity of another analytical system. The change in sensitivity is explained by cortical connections between analyzers, largely by the law of simultaneous induction.
The general regularity of the interaction of sensations is as follows: weak stimuli in one analytic system increase the sensitivity in another. For example, a weak taste (sour) increases visual sensitivity, mutual influence noted between sound and visual sensations. The increase in sensitivity as a result of the interaction of analyzers, as well as systematic exercise, is called sensitization.
With the simultaneous action of two stimuli, a simultaneous contrast occurs. This contrast can be clearly seen in visual sensations. The same figure appears lighter on a black background, and darker on a white background. A green object against a red background appears more saturated.
Consistent contrast. Feeling sour increases your sensitivity to sweets. The phenomena of sequential contrast, or sequential image, in vision have been studied in detail. If you fix a light spot with your eye for 20-40 seconds, and then close your eyes or turn your gaze to a dimly lit surface, then in a few seconds you can notice a fairly dark spot. This will be a consistent visual image.
The phenomenon of synesthesia. Synesthesia is a manifestation of the interaction of analyzers. The phenomenon of synesthesia is the appearance, under the influence of irritation of one analyzer, of a sign characteristic of another analyzer. A feature of sensations, as already noted, is the modality of the image. However, the interaction of sensations that occurs in the central nuclei of the analyzer leads to the fact that a person under pressure, for example, sounds, can experience color sensations, color can cause a feeling of cold. This interaction is called synesthesia. Synesthesia can be viewed as a special case of the interaction of sensations, which is expressed not in a change in the level of sensitivity, but in the fact that the effect of sensations of a given modality is enhanced through the excitation of sensations of other modalities. Synesthesia enhances the sensory tone of the senses. The phenomenon of synesthesia extends to all modalities. This is expressed in stable phrases: velvet voice, dark sound, cold color, etc.
The manifestations of synesthesia are individual. There are people with a very vivid ability to synesthesia and people who hardly have it.