sensecalling

Sensecalling is a coined term used to describe the deliberate design or cultivation of sensory experiences to elicit perception, memory, or action. It can apply across fields such as marketing, education, therapy, and spiritual practice, where attention to the senses is used to influence outcomes.

Etymology and scope. The word blends sense and calling, implying an intentional “calling forth” of sensory responses. It lacks a formal, universally accepted definition, and in practice the term is used loosely to refer to multisensory strategies that engage sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.

Applications. In marketing and product design, sensecalling involves creating cohesive sensory environments—soundtracks, textures, scents, and visuals—that reinforce brand associations and enhance recall. In education, multisensory teaching methods aim to stabilize attention and improve retention by engaging multiple modalities. In mindfulness, practitioners may use sensecalling to ground awareness in present sensory input.

Techniques and evaluation. Common methods include sensory mapping, cross-modal cueing (linking a stimulus in one modality to a response in another), and deliberate curation of environments. Outcomes are typically assessed via qualitative feedback, consumer studies, or clinical measures of attention and learning, though standardized metrics are limited.

Criticism and status. Because sensecalling lacks formal standardization, its definitions vary across disciplines and often face critiques about overextension or manipulation. Proponents argue it offers a practical framework for multisensory design, while critics call for clearer guidelines and ethical considerations around sensory influence.