sensean

Sensean is a term used in cognitive science and related disciplines to describe a theoretical framework for understanding how perception and action are integrated in real time. The core idea is that sensory processing and motor planning are not strictly separate stages but components of a single, evolving state that guides behavior. In sensean-inspired models, perception is shaped by anticipated actions and ongoing goals, while action selection is continually informed by fresh sensory input.

The name sensean combines the word sense with a suffix that signals a system or state, reflecting its emphasis on the sensing-action loop. Proponents typically stress continuous multisensory integration, predictive processing, and embodied interaction with the environment. The framework often draws on concepts from active sensing, sensorimotor contingencies, and predictive coding to explain how organisms minimize uncertainty and adapt to changing contexts.

Applications of sensean concepts appear in robotics, where control systems are designed to couple perception with rapid motor responses, and in human-computer interaction, where interfaces respond to user intentions inferred from ongoing sensorimotor cues. In theoretical discussions, sensean is used as a descriptive label for models that foreground the inseparability of sensing and acting, particularly under dynamic or uncertain conditions.

Reception has been mixed. Some researchers view sensean as a clarifying umbrella term for sensorimotor integration, while others regard it as overlapping with established theories such as embodied cognition and predictive processing. Overall, sensean remains a term used in interdisciplinary discourse rather than a widely adopted mainstream framework.