Conscious awareness of incoming sensory information is called A. transduction B. stimulation. C. reception D. adaptation. E. sensation
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is E. sensation.
Sensation refers to the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and detect stimuli from the environment. It is the initial step in how we interpret and become aware of our surroundings. When sensory information is processed, it enters the brain, where conscious awareness begins, allowing us to recognize and respond to the stimuli.
The process starts with reception, where specialized sensory receptors detect physical stimuli like light, sound, pressure, or chemicals. These receptors are located in different parts of the body, such as the eyes for light (vision), the ears for sound (hearing), and the skin for touch (somatosensation). Once the receptors detect the stimuli, they convert them into electrical signals that can be processed by the nervous system. This conversion process is known as transduction.
The signals then travel through sensory pathways to the brain, where they are interpreted. It is during this step of neural processing that the sensory experience becomes conscious, and we recognize what we are perceiving. For example, when you see a red light, the visual receptors in your eyes transduce light into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain, where you consciously become aware of the color red.
Sensation is the term that encompasses this conscious experience of stimuli. Unlike adaptation, which refers to the reduced sensitivity to a constant stimulus over time, sensation allows us to recognize and be aware of sensory information. Therefore, sensation is directly linked to our ability to become aware of the external world through the senses, making it a crucial aspect of human perception.