Sensasjon

Sensasjon is a term used in Norwegian (and related Scandinavian languages) meaning sensation. It refers to both the physiological process by which sensory receptors detect stimuli and the subjective experience of those stimuli. In everyday language, sensasjon can also denote something remarkable or exciting—a media sensation or a public sensation.

In science, sensation begins with sensory receptors that detect specific types of energy: light for vision, sound for audition, chemical molecules for taste and smell, and mechanical or thermal stimuli for touch, proprioception, and temperature. Receptors transduce this energy into neural signals that are transmitted to the brain via sensory pathways. The brain then interprets these signals to generate perception and awareness. Different sensory modalities operate with their own thresholds and patterns of adaptation; the concept of an absolute threshold refers to the minimum stimulus required for detection, while a difference threshold pertains to the smallest detectable change in a stimulus.

Sensation and perception are related but distinct. Sensation is the raw input gathered by receptors, whereas perception is the brain’s interpretation of that input, influenced by attention, memory, expectations, and context through bottom-up and top-down processing.

In medical contexts, terms related to sensasjon include hypoesthesia (reduced sensitivity), hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity), anesthesia (loss of sensation), and dysesthesia (unpleasant abnormal sensation). Sensation can be studied across sensory modalities, as well as within clinical assessments of sensory function.

Culturally, sensasjon is also used to describe something that arouses widespread interest or emotion, such as a sensational news story or a sensational achievement.