This chapter focuses on the nature of the information our body takes in through its senses and with the way we interpret the information. Both sensation and perception are explored here. Sensation encompasses the processes by which our sense organs receive information from the environment. Perception is the interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli involving our sense organs.

Chapter 3 begins by exploring the relationships between the characteristics of a physical stimulus and the kinds of sensory responses that it produces. This is followed by an examination of the major senses, including vision, hearing, balance, smell, taste, touch, and pain.

Next is an explanation of how we organize the stimuli to which our sense organs are exposed. Finally, the chapter focuses on visual illusions that provide us with important clues for understanding general perceptual mechanisms.

To further investigate the topics covered in this chapter, you can visit the related websites by visiting the following link:
http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/intro/cafe/feldess/feldman4eup_s/chap03psylinks.htm.

Section 1: Sensing the World Around Us Absolute Thresholds: Detecting What's Out There Difference Thresholds: Noticing Distinctions Between Stimuli Sensory Adaptation: Turning Down Our Responses

Section 2: Vision: Shedding Light on the Eye Illuminating the Structure of the Eye Color Vision and Color Blindness: The Seven-Million-Color Spectrum Applying Psychology in the 21st Century: Bringing Sight to People with Blindness

Section 3: Hearing and the Other Senses Sensing Sound Smell and Taste The Skin Senses: Touch, Pressure, Temperature, and Pain Psychology at Work: Julia A. Nennella, Taste ResearcherBecoming an Informed Consumer of Psychology: Managing Pain

Section 4: Perceptual Organization: Constructing Our View of the World The Gestalt Laws of Organization Feature Analysis: Focusing on the Parts of the Whole Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing Perceptual Constancy Depth Perception: Translating 2-D to 3-D Motion Perception: As the World Turns Perceptual Illusions: The Deceptions of Perceptions Exploring Diversity: Culture and Perception Subliminal Perception