Sensegrowth

Sensegrowth is a term used in cognitive science to describe the expansion or refinement of perceptual capabilities through training, experience, and neural plasticity. It encompasses improvements in sensory sensitivity, discrimination, and the integration of information across modalities such as sight, hearing, and touch.

Proposed mechanisms include perceptual learning, synaptic changes in sensory cortices, recruitment of higher-order networks, and enhanced multisensory integration. Attentional focus, feedback, task-specific practice, and longer training periods are cited as important modulators of growth.

Applications are explored in educational settings, rehabilitation, and augmentation technologies. Programs aimed at improving visual or auditory discrimination, the development of sensory substitution approaches for reduced-sense populations, and cross-modal training for motor control are among the areas of interest.

Empirical evidence supports modest improvements in selected tasks after structured training, though the extent of transfer to untrained tasks and the durability of sensegrowth remains debated. Some studies report lasting gains, while others observe limited or context-dependent effects.

Critics caution that improvements may reflect task-specific strategies rather than broad perceptual change, and emphasize the need for standardized measures and longitudinal assessments. Ongoing research seeks to clarify when sensegrowth is possible, for whom, and how to optimize training protocols.

See also: perceptual learning; neuroplasticity; multisensory integration; sensory substitution.