Sensory Inputs Guiding Cognitive Behaviors and Decision Making

Abstract

Understanding human behaviors and higher cognitive functioning has long been an ultimate goal for psychologists and neuroscientists. Sensory inputs are pivotal in shaping the intricate landscape of complex behaviors and decision-making processes in both humans and animals. The distinct pathways through which the sensory information is perceived from the environment are referred as sensory modalities. Each sensory modality corresponds to a specific type of sensory input or sense, such as vision, hearing, or tactile, enabling us to gather information about the world around us. Sensory inputs integrate information of various sensory modalities at different levels of nervous system and networks, are filtered by attention, forming the perception of the external environment. Through the interaction with various neural circuits and networks, the sensory inputs activate memories and emotions, leading to further information processing. The conversion of sensory information into behavior and decision making is a complex neuronal process involving context evaluation, emotional arousal, memory activation and reward system prediction, with sensory inputs impacting immediate reactions and shaping long-term memory and future responses. This paper is a systematic review of recent literature studies that explain cognition and behaviors, providing an overview of the multifaceted interplay between sensory perception and the execution of complex behaviors, while highlighting the significance of sensory processing in cognitive neuroscience and behavioral science.