Receptors in the ear respond to fluctuations in pressure. Receptors in the nose and mouth respond to chemicals. In fact, we experience visual stimuli as visual, auditory stimuli as auditory, etc. because of where in the brain the nerve fibers terminate. Perception involves unconscious inference From a pattern of activity in the primary afferents, we infer a state of affairs in the world. Our perceptual system is not designed to give us direct access to our sensations.
Perception is directed outward.
It requires special training, or at least informed directed attention, to specifically attend to the sensation per se . Cannot be applied to animals or preverbal infants. Verbal reports are often unreliable. Investigate responses elicited by stimuli that vary systematically along one dimension and are otherwise identical. Such stimuli typically do not occur in nature.