Perception is the ability to interpret the world around us through our senses. The five main types of perception are visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile. Each type of perception involves different receptors and neural pathways.
Vision is the most important sense for humans. We rely on vision for approximately 80% of our information about the world. The eye is constantly moving, scanning our surroundings for any changes or movement. Light enters the eye and is focused by the lens onto the retina at the back of the eye. The retina contains millions of light-sensitive cells called photoreceptors that convert light into electrical signals. These electrical signals are sent to the brain via the optic nerve where they are interpreted as images.
Auditory perception occurs when sound waves enter the ear and vibrate the eardrum. This vibration is passed to three small bones in the middle ear – known as ossicles – which amplify the sound and transmit it to cochlea in inner ear. The cochlea contains thousands of tiny hair cells that translate sound vibrations into electrical impulses that are passed to brain via auditory nerve.
Olfactory perception happens when molecules from a substance dissolve in mucus lining inside nose. These molecules then stimulate receptor cells located on top of olfactory epithelium – a thin sheet of tissue at roof of nasal cavity . Receptor cells send electrical impulses to brain where they are interpreted as a smell.
Gustatory perception or taste occurs when chemicals from food or drink stimulate taste buds located on tongue . There are four main types of taste: salty, sweet, sour, and bitter . These tastes arise from different combinations of chemicals stimulating different regions of tongue . Electrical impulses created by stimulated taste buds travel to brain via cranial nerves where they are interpreted as a particular taste .
Tactile perception or touch occurs when pressure , temperature , pain , or other stimuli stimulate receptors in skin . There are four main types of receptors that respond to different stimuli: mechanoreceptors (pressure), thermoreceptors (temperature), nociceptors (pain), and proprioceptors (body position). Electrical impulses generated by stimulated receptors travel along afferent neurons to spinal cord and then up through brainstem to thalamus . From thalamus , impulses may go directly to cortex for interpretation or may be relayed through other subcortical structures first