Cognitive Organization I: Emotions

Abstract

In the previous chapters the basic perceptual processes related to the awareness and reporting of symptoms have been presented. Clearly, specific sensations can be influenced by setting, expectation, and physiological state. Although briefly mentioned previously, we rarely perceive, report, or act upon highly specific symptoms. Rather, we organize groups of sensations into broader categories. Instead of perceiving feelings of dizziness and stomach contractions, we would more likely be aware of the feeling of hunger. The perception of illness typically is based on a large number of diverse symptoms (see Chapter 3).