Sensation vs. Feeling — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 28, 2023
Sensation is a physical process of sensing external stimuli, while Feeling is an emotional or subjective response to those stimuli.
Difference Between Sensation and Feeling
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Sensation and Feeling, often interchangeably used in everyday vernacular, have distinctive meanings in psychological contexts. Sensation pertains to the immediate and primary process in which our sensory organs respond to external stimuli. For instance, when our skin contacts a hot object, the receptors send signals to the brain, resulting in a Sensation of heat. In contrast, Feeling reflects the personal and subjective interpretation of that Sensation. It encompasses the emotional and cognitive reactions to stimuli, such as discomfort or distress from the aforementioned heat.
Sensation serves as the primary gatekeeper for our interaction with the environment. It's through Sensation that we're alerted to changes, dangers, and opportunities around us. Our sensory organs, such as eyes, ears, and skin, play pivotal roles in perceiving these changes. Conversely, Feeling delves deeper, translating these sensory perceptions into emotional states or responses. If a Sensation evokes a memory or resonates with a person's mood, the ensuing Feeling might be more profound.
The realms of art and culture offer a vivid demarcation between Sensation and Feeling. Consider listening to a piece of music. The auditory Sensation involves perceiving the melody, rhythm, and instruments. Simultaneously, the Feeling might encompass the nostalgia, joy, or melancholy the music invokes, molded by personal experiences and interpretations.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Physical response to external stimuli.
Emotional or subjective interpretation of stimuli.
Origin
Sensory organs and receptors.
Brain's interpretation and emotional centers.
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Nature
Objective and universal.
Subjective and personal.
Example
Hearing a loud noise.
Being startled or frightened by a loud noise.
Relationship with stimuli
Direct and immediate.
Mediated by personal experiences and emotions.
Compare with Definitions
Sensation
Immediate physical experience.
A tingling Sensation spread through her arm.
Feeling
An emotional response.
The news gave him a Feeling of joy.
Sensation
Perception through sensory organs.
The Sensation of sand between his toes was calming.
Feeling
Feeling was originally used to describe the physical sensation of touch through either experience or perception. The word is also used to describe other experiences, such as "a feeling of warmth" and of sentience in general.
Sensation
Raw data from the environment.
The bright light created a blinding Sensation.
Feeling
An emotional state or reaction
A feeling of joy
Sensation
A direct response to stimuli.
The sudden cold gave her a sharp Sensation.
Feeling
An idea or belief, especially a vague or irrational one
He had the feeling that he was being watched
Sensation
A perception associated with stimulation of a sense organ or with a specific body condition
The sensation of heat.
A visual sensation.
Feeling
The capacity to experience the sense of touch
A loss of feeling in the hands
Sensation
The faculty to feel or perceive; physical sensibility
The patient has very little sensation left in the right leg.
Feeling
A sensitivity to or intuitive understanding of
She says I have a feeling for medicine
Sensation
An indefinite generalized body feeling
A sensation of lightness.
Feeling
Showing emotion or sensitivity
She was a feeling child
Sensation
A state of heightened interest or emotion
"The anticipation produced in me a sensation somewhat between bliss and fear" (James Weldon Johnson).
Feeling
The sense of touch
Lost feeling in a toe.
Sensation
A state of intense public interest and excitement
"The purser made a sensation as sailors like to do, by predicting a storm" (Evelyn Waugh).
Feeling
A sensation experienced through this sense
Enjoyed the feeling of rain on my face.
Sensation
A cause of such interest and excitement
The band's new singer is a sensation.
Feeling
A physical sensation other than one experienced though touch
A feeling of warmth.
Sensation
A physical feeling or perception from something that comes into contact with the body; something sensed.
Feeling
An emotion, such as joy or sorrow
A feeling of loss.
Sensation
A widespread reaction of interest or excitement.
Feeling
Strong mental agitation or excitement involving the emotions
Eyes that showed deep feeling.
Sensation
A small serving of gin or sherry.
Feeling
An emotion of affection; a fondness
Does she have feelings for you?.
Sensation
An impression, or the consciousness of an impression, made upon the central nervous organ, through the medium of a sensory or afferent nerve or one of the organs of sense; a feeling, or state of consciousness, whether agreeable or disagreeable, produced either by an external object (stimulus), or by some change in the internal state of the body.
Perception is only a special kind of knowledge, and sensation a special kind of feeling. . . . Knowledge and feeling, perception and sensation, though always coexistent, are always in the inverse ratio of each other.
Feeling
The capacity to experience refined emotions; sensitivity; sensibility
A man of feeling.
Sensation
A purely spiritual or psychical affection; agreeable or disagreeable feelings occasioned by objects that are not corporeal or material.
Feeling
Feelings Susceptibility to emotional response; sensibilities
The child's feelings are easily hurt.
Sensation
A state of excited interest or feeling, or that which causes it.
The sensation caused by the appearance of that work is still remembered by many.
Feeling
An awareness or impression
He had the feeling that he was being followed.
Sensation
An unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation;
A sensation of touch
Feeling
An opinion based strongly on emotion; sentiment
Voters' feelings on tax reform.
Sensation
Someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
Feeling
A general impression conveyed by a person, place, or thing
This office has the feeling of a fortress.
Sensation
A general feeling of excitement and heightened interest;
Anticipation produced in me a sensation somewhere between hope and fear
Feeling
The emotions thought to be conveyed or intended by a work of art
The painting's feeling of anguish.
Sensation
A state of widespread public excitement and interest;
The news caused a sensation
Feeling
Appreciative regard or understanding
Has no feeling for propriety.
Sensation
The faculty through which the external world is apprehended;
In the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing
Feeling
Intuitive awareness or aptitude; a feel
Has a feeling for language.
Sensation
The act of sensing.
The aroma gave her a pleasant Sensation.
Feeling
Easily moved emotionally; sympathetic
A feeling heart.
Feeling
Expressive of sensibility or emotion
A feeling glance.
Feeling
Emotionally sensitive.
Despite the rough voice, the coach is surprisingly feeling.
Feeling
Expressive of great sensibility; attended by, or evincing, sensibility.
He made a feeling representation of his wrongs.
Feeling
Sensation, particularly through the skin.
The wool on my arm produced a strange feeling.
Feeling
Emotion; impression.
The house gave me a feeling of dread.
Feeling
Emotional state or well-being.
You really hurt my feelings when you said that.
Feeling
Emotional attraction or desire.
Many people still have feelings for their first love.
Feeling
Intuition.
He has no feeling for what he can say to somebody in such a fragile emotional condition.
I've got a funny feeling that this isn't going to work.
Feeling
An opinion, an attitude.
Feeling
Present participle of feel
Feeling
Possessing great sensibility; easily affected or moved; as, a feeling heart.
Feeling
Expressive of great sensibility; attended by, or evincing, sensibility; as, he made a feeling representation of his wrongs.
Feeling
The sense by which the mind, through certain nerves of the body, perceives external objects, or certain states of the body itself; that one of the five senses which resides in the general nerves of sensation distributed over the body, especially in its surface; the sense of touch; nervous sensibility to external objects.
Why was the sightTo such a tender ball as the eye confined, . . . And not, as feeling, through all parts diffused?
Feeling
An act or state of perception by the sense above described; an act of apprehending any object whatever; an act or state of apprehending the state of the soul itself; consciousness.
The apprehension of the goodGives but the greater feeling to the worse.
Feeling
The capacity of the soul for emotional states; a high degree of susceptibility to emotions or states of the sensibility not dependent on the body; as, a man of feeling; a man destitute of feeling.
Feeling
Any state or condition of emotion; the exercise of the capacity for emotion; any mental state whatever; as, a right or a wrong feeling in the heart; our angry or kindly feelings; a feeling of pride or of humility.
A fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind.
Tenderness for the feelings of others.
Feeling
That quality of a work of art which embodies the mental emotion of the artist, and is calculated to affect similarly the spectator.
Feeling
The experiencing of affective and emotional states;
She had a feeling of euphoria
He had terrible feelings of guilt
I disliked him and the feeling was mutual
Feeling
A vague idea in which some confidence is placed;
His impression of her was favorable
What are your feelings about the crisis?
It strengthened my belief in his sincerity
I had a feeling that she was lying
Feeling
The general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people;
The feel of the city excited him
A clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
It had the smell of treason
Feeling
A physical sensation that you experience;
He had a queasy feeling
I had a strange feeling in my leg
He lost all feeling in his arm
Feeling
The sensation produced by pressure receptors in the skin;
She likes the touch of silk on her skin
The surface had a greasy feeling
Feeling
An intuitive understanding of something;
He had a great feeling for music
Feeling
Subjective interpretation of experience.
Despite the cold, she had a warm Feeling inside.
Feeling
Personal connection to an event.
The song evoked strong Feelings from her past.
Feeling
A conscious emotional state.
He had a nagging Feeling something was off.
Feeling
An intangible reaction.
There's a Feeling of excitement in the air.
Common Curiosities
How does Feeling differ from Sensation?
Feeling is an emotional or subjective interpretation of Sensation, reflecting personal experiences and emotions.
Is Sensation purely physiological?
Yes, Sensation is a direct and objective physiological response to external stimuli.
Which comes first, Sensation or Feeling?
Sensation typically comes first, with Feeling following as an interpretation of that Sensation.
What is Sensation?
Sensation refers to the immediate physical process of sensing external stimuli through our sensory organs.
Can one exist without the other?
While Sensations can exist without eliciting strong Feelings, our Feelings often originate from Sensations.
Are there common human Feelings to certain Sensations?
While many Sensations elicit common human responses, individual Feelings can still vary widely.
Can Sensations be measured?
Yes, Sensations, being physiological responses, can often be measured, whereas Feelings are more subjective.
How do memories influence Feeling?
Memories can shape the emotional and subjective response (Feeling) to a Sensation based on past experiences.
Can two people have the same Feeling from a similar Sensation?
Not necessarily. Feelings are subjective and can differ based on personal experiences and interpretations.
What role does the brain play in Sensation and Feeling?
The brain receives and processes Sensations and subsequently generates Feelings based on interpretation and emotional centers.
Do animals experience Sensation and Feeling?
Yes, animals experience Sensations and often display behaviors indicating they have Feelings too.
Is it possible to have a Sensation without realizing it?
Yes, some Sensations, especially subtle ones, might not register consciously but can still influence behavior and Feeling.
How do our sensory organs relate to Sensation?
Our sensory organs, like eyes and ears, capture external stimuli, leading to Sensations.
Is Feeling always emotional?
While Feeling often involves emotions, it can also encompass cognitive interpretations and reactions.
Can we trust our Feelings?
Feelings provide valuable insights, but they're subjective and should be considered alongside other information.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
