Why does the sky look blue? Why does sugar taste sweet? Can my dog hear the same things I hear? We all start out as natural enthusiasts for the subject material of a Sensation and Perception class. Sinauer Associates' new Sensation and Perception text is written by experts in each of the five senses who never lost that enthusiasm and who have a passion for conveying the excitement of this field of study to students. Sensation and Perception provides up-to-date and accurate descriptions of vision, audition, touch, taste, and olfaction in a lively and engaging manner. The book reflects the recent explosion of knowledge in higher-level perception with extensive coverage of topics such as attention, haptic perception, and speech and music. At the same time, the text provides a solid grounding in the basics of sensory physiology and psychophysics.

For students for whom this is the beginning and end of their study of sensation and perception, this text is intended to give an accessible, engaging and intellectually satisfying survey of the major topics in the field. For those who are continuing, the text will be a stimulating invitation to more extensive study in this rich field.

This is the first introductory sensation and perception textbook to take advantage of full-color printing through out. A robust website includes activities and demonstrations as well as additional written material for added depth.