Modality of perception in psychology and philosophy

Modality is one of the multifunctional concepts that have found application in various scientific fields. Sensory modality categories are actively used in psychology and are the reference points for ways to interact with the client's reality in neurolinguistic programming (NLP).

What is modality?

Modality is (Latin modus - inclination, method, measure) - the mode of action or relation, expressed to action. Modality - the term originally used in the linguistic environment by Charles Bally and denoted subjective assessment (mode) in relation to dictum (the material, text, expression). Later, the concept of modality began to be used in psychology to explain the categories of the human sensory system and in philosophy as a reflection of the ways of being, phenomena. Modality is also used in such areas as:

1. Computer systems - multi-window program interface, where one of the windows is central, it focuses the user.
2. Music - uses a modal scale, from which other frets are built.
3. Sociology. In the sociological typology of people - a modal person or modal personality, this is a really predominant type in a given society.

Modality in philosophy

The kind of being in connection with conditioned circumstances. What does modality mean in philosophy? This issue was dealt with by the Russian professor of philosophy MN. Epstein. In his work "The philosophy of the possible. Modalities in thinking and culture "the scientist proposed to divide the modalities into 3 types, depending on the predicates used in the speech:

1. Optical (being) - "can" and "be." These are different degrees of power in relation to being (maybe either happen, or it can not and will not happen).
2. Pure (potential) - modality of abilities: "can" - "can not" (can not eat, can not drink, can not play the instrument)
3. Epistemic (cognitive) - are formed by predicates "can" and "know." Modal judgments of ancient Greek philosophers: Socrates "I know that I know nothing" and Plato "I know what I never knew (did not know)" reflect the essence of the cognitive modality in philosophy.

Modality in Psychology

A representative human system is represented by perception channels or sensory receptors. Modality in psychology is a qualitative spectrum of sensations and internal processing of the received information through the use of certain sense organs. In neurolinguistic programming (NLP) - the definition of the leading modality of a person is an important stage for the successful delivery of information to the client.

Modalities of perception

There are the following modalities of perception in psychology:

• rational modality (mental operations);
• kinesthetic (touch, movement in space, tactile sensations );
• auditory (auditory);
• visual (visual).

Modality of sensations

All living things in nature have sensitivity. The modality of sensations in psychology is getting information from the outside world through sensory analyzers:

• sight (color and brightness);
• hearing (vibration of sound waves);
• touch (pressure, heat-cold, temperature, pain);
• smell (smell);
• taste (quality of food).

Each person is unique, but there are common components that allow to assign an individual to a particular group or descriptive characteristic. Psychologists, having conducted a number of studies, found that each person has a leading sensory system, which made it possible to classify:

1. Audial - incoming information is better analyzed by auditory analyzers. Such a person often uses the expression "I heard that ...", "it sounds tempting / impressive", "it cuts the ears", "I do not even want to listen to it!".
2. Visual - thinks in images. The visual type uses words related to visual actions, the color scheme: "bright / juicy / colorful / dim", "it seems to me," "noticed / focused."
3. Kinesthetic - bodily sensations and touches are very important for the kinesthetic type. Gestures and facial expressions of such people are very rich. In the expressions you can hear the words: "nice", "warm", "creepy" "it is unbearably disgusting to me".

Modality of Thinking

The principle of modality of thinking is the ability to think in different parameters. For a person, the modality of perception and thinking is equally significant and constantly involved. Classification of the modalities of Ya. Startsev's thinking by types:

1. Rational modality - involves the category of "true - false". The concept of truth is used as a filter in the selection, structuring and transformation of information.
2. Aesthetic modality - artistic images. The formation of images occurs in the psychic reality, then is displayed in the physical world through works of art, literature.
3. Instrumental modality - manipulation of an object in the physical world and mentally. Skills related to work, the consolidation of useful experience and separation of the useless.
4. Magical modality - thinking irrational, is focused on symbols, signs, miracles. Coincidence in this case confirms the person's correctness of his judgments, due to the visibility.
5. Ethical modality - the behavior, intentions and attitudes of people. The subject-subject interaction. Any act or intention is evaluated from the position of the norms accepted by the society. Ethical thinking "thinks" in categories: "good-evil," "good-bad."

Modality of emotions

Emotions are usually divided into positive, negative and ambivalent (ambivalent). Emotional modality is an emotion experienced by a subject. K. Izard (an American psychologist) developed the theory of basic differential emotions or modalities:

• joy - a positive attitude towards the world and yourself;
• interest - the ability to perceive and assimilate information;
• surprise - sudden changes;
• sorrow - the experience associated with the loss of the object of satisfaction of needs;
• disgust - the emotion of rejection;
• anger - willingness to attack in response to discomfort;
• contempt - a sense of superiority, a depreciation of another person;
• shame - the experience of inferiority;
• fear - emotion is associated with threat situations, a willingness to escape;
• guilt - self-flagellation and condemnation as a result of misconduct.

Modal memory

The leading modality of a person does not mean that he does not use the other sensory channels. All systems are involved in different ways. By the type of basic modalities of perception, there are types of memory:

1. Visual - remembering incoming visual images.
2. Auditory - memorized incoming sounds, noises, music.
3. Taste - a person remembers different tastes.
4. Tactile - memory of images, preservation and reproduction of actions / movements;
5. Motor - formation and memorization of motor skills.
6. Olfactory - memory of smells.
7. Emotional - remember all the feelings and emotions experienced.

How do subpersonalities differ from modalities?

The concept of subpersonality in psychology is a metaphor for several beings within a person. Subpersonalities are tied to the roles of a person: social, professional, family, and involve, at their discretion, various modalities. When comparing subpersonality with modality, it is more appropriate to use the term submodality. Modality and submodality are mutually complementary concepts. Unlike modalities, submodalities are nuances and differences within a certain type of modality: lighter-darker, quieter-sonorous, static-motion.