Session 2

Introduction to Sensory Mechanisms-1

Assigned readings in textbook: pp.3-11

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 “SENSORY PROCESSES”
Some intriguing phenomena
1. Sensation, Consciousness & Mind
2. Doubling of Consciousness (Déjà vu & Jamais vu)
3. Importance of Sensory Inputs and Effects of
Sensory Deprivation
4. ‘Self’, Phantom limb and Neglect
5. Sensation-Perception-Cognition
6. “Bottom-Up” and “Top-Down” Processing

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1. Sensation, Consciousness and Mind

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 What is “Mind”?
• the center of
consciousness that
generates
thoughts, feelings,
ideas, and
perceptions, and
stores knowledge
and memories……

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2. ‘Doubling’ of Consciousness

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Role of Temporal Lobe (Temporal Cortex):
Connects Auditory, Visual, Olfactory, Vestibular, Spatial and
Touch sensations
Associates with Emotions (through Amygdala)
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Forms contextual Memories (through Hippocampus)
3. Importance of Sensory Inputs and Effects
of Sensory Deprivation

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Sensory deprivation syndrome
-Develops following prolonged
deprivation of sensory
inputs.
Example: Post Incarceration
syndrome
(Incarceration=Confinement)
Some of the features:
-Hallucinations
-Poor social skills
-Drug abuse
-Personality disorders 10
4. ‘Self’, Phantom and Neglect

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 Phantom limb syndrome
Develops most often following traumatic
amputation (no time to mentally prepare)
Features
1. The limb (amputated) “coexists”-as normal
2. The limb has “telescoped/shrunk”
3. The limb exists close to another body part that
was not related earlier
4. The limb (amputated) is “paralysed”
5. The limb (amputated) is “painful”

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Face and shoulder stimulation felt as
amputated hand being stimulated

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When the part of “Self” does not belong to me

Unilateral neglect (or Hemineglect)

Accompanying damage to right parietal
lobe
Left half of the body does not belong to
“me”
Left side of space does not exist

How does this differ from hemi-

anesthesia? (Anesthesia=Sensory
loss)
What cognitive process is involved
here? (Attention)
What if, damage to left parietal lobe? 14
(No reports of hemineglect)
5. Sensation, Perception and Cognition

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 Sensation
Sensation:
Basic experience (unelaborated) or
awareness as stimuli fall on sensory
system
Example: 1. “I feel something”
2. “I hear some sound”

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 Perception
Perception: A conscious (elaborated)
sensory experience
Example: 1. “I feel something smooth”
2. “I hear a voice”

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 Cognition
Cognition: Placing an object into a
category. An outcome of perception,
reasoning, learning and memory.
Example: 1. “This is an apple”
2. “That is my friend’s voice”

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6. Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing

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“Rat” or “Man”

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 Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing

Bottom-Up processing is recognizing, based on analysis

of details in the incoming information.
There is not much prior “knowledge” of the object.
E.g. Studying the details of the picture before
recognizing the picture as “Rat” or “Man”.

Top-Down processing is recognizing based on prior

“knowledge” of the object.
E.g. Recognizing an object as “Rat” or “Man” after
having seen a picture of “Rat” or “Man” .

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 Sensation Perception Cognition
Processing-times

Input à Experiencing a stimulus at the basic

level (“Sensation”).
Held in “Sensory memory” for about 0.25 seconds.
à Filtering of inputs (“Perception”). Held in short-
term memory for about 0.5 minutes.
à Further filtering, representing, clustering, binding,
recalling (“Cognition”). Held in long-term and
permanent memory for future use.

(Kaplan and Saddock, Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 2009)