ABSTRACT
Perception is an experience that results from stimulation of the senses. It can be examined in its own right, by psychophysical experiment, or it can be related to the processes in the nervous system that accompany the experience. The electrochemical activities initiated in the sensory receptors trigger nerve impulses in the sensory nerves, and these impulses are relayed to the brain. Perception engages all the senses but the language in which our experiences are expressed tends to reflect the operation of particular senses. It might seem as though the senses worked in isolation rather than in concert. Humans enjoy contemplating the experiences provided by the senses, and much of our language is associated with describing them. In human cultures considerable effort is devoted to enhancing perceptual experiences by decorating our bodies and our surroundings and by producing artifacts to stimulate the senses and to channel our contemplations.
