• For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • For Universities
  • For Governments
Coursera
  • Online Degrees
  • Careers
  • Log In
  • Join for Free
    Coursera
    University of California, Davis
    Sensory Science: The Senses
    • About
    • Outcomes
    • Modules
    • Recommendations
    • Testimonials
    • Reviews
    1. Browse
    2. Health
    3. Psychology
    University of California, Davis

    Sensory Science: The Senses

    This course is part of Essentials of Sensory Science Specialization

    Rebecca Bleibaum

    Instructor: Rebecca Bleibaum

    Included with Coursera Plus

    •Learn more
    4 modules
    Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
    4.8

    (13 reviews)

    Beginner level
    No prior experience required
    13 hours to complete
    3 weeks at 4 hours a week
    Flexible schedule
    Learn at your own pace

    4 modules
    Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
    4.8

    (13 reviews)

    Beginner level
    No prior experience required
    13 hours to complete
    3 weeks at 4 hours a week
    Flexible schedule
    Learn at your own pace
    • About
    • Outcomes
    • Modules
    • Recommendations
    • Testimonials
    • Reviews

    Skills you'll gain

    • Chemistry
    • Neurology
    • Experimentation
    • Biology
    • Human Factors
    • Patient Evaluation
    • Anatomy
    • Laboratory Experience

    Details to know

    Shareable certificate

    Add to your LinkedIn profile

    Assessments

    4 assignments

    Taught in English

    See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

    Learn more about Coursera for Business
     logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

    Build your subject-matter expertise

    This course is part of the Essentials of Sensory Science Specialization
    When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
    • Learn new concepts from industry experts
    • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
    • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
    • Earn a shareable career certificate
    Coursera Career Certificate

    Earn a career certificate

    Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

    Share it on social media and in your performance review

    Coursera Career Certificate

    There are 4 modules in this course

    Humans are amazing sensors! This course will help you understand our sensing capabilities including taste, olfaction, tactile senses, vision, and audition. The course will explain at a high-level the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the senses and give you an appreciation of how senses are transmitted to, and experienced by, the brain. You’ll learn by experience to assess cases such as dysfunctions in olfaction or tactile temperature adaptation. Optional podcast conversations with experts in the field are included each week to provide additional insight on our senses and sensory research.

    In this module, we will begin our discussion on the senses starting with taste. We will also discuss primary tastes, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of taste. We will then touch on transducer and neural effects including receptor types, stimulus-receptor transducer mechanisms, neural channels, neural codes, and cortical cell types and mechanisms. We will do an activity on taste adaptation and finish the module with an optional podcast conversation with Joel Sidel. Let's get started.

    What's included

    11 videos7 readings1 assignment4 discussion prompts

    11 videos•Total 52 minutes
    • Course Introduction•5 minutes•Preview module
    • Module Introduction•0 minutes
    • Taste - One of the Chemical Senses•6 minutes
    • Taste Anatomy: Taste Buds•5 minutes
    • Taste Nerve System•1 minute
    • Taste Transduction•10 minutes
    • Taste Adaptation•4 minutes
    • Mixture Effects, Inhibition and Synergy•7 minutes
    • Trigeminal Chemical Sensitivity•4 minutes
    • Taste Sensitivity•2 minutes
    • Basic Taste•4 minutes
    7 readings•Total 190 minutes
    • A Note from UC Davis•10 minutes
    • Taste Adaptation Activity•15 minutes
    • Selected Sensory Demonstration Activities (Optional)•30 minutes
    • (Optional) Podcast: A Conversation with Joel Sidel•45 minutes
    • Receptors and Transduction in Taste•30 minutes
    • Two Decades of Supertasting: Where do we Stand?•20 minutes
    • The Human Preference for Excess Salt•40 minutes
    1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
    • Module 1 Quiz•30 minutes
    4 discussion prompts•Total 50 minutes
    • Learning Goals•10 minutes
    • Taste Adaptation Activity Results•15 minutes
    • Selected Sensory Demonstration Activities Results•15 minutes
    • (Optional Forum) Podcast: Joel Sidel•10 minutes

    In this module, we will continue discussing the senses focusing on olfaction and the tactile sensations. We will discuss the chemical nature of odorous stimuli, the anatomy of the olfactory system, and smell transduction. Let's begin.

    What's included

    6 videos2 readings1 assignment

    6 videos•Total 21 minutes
    • Module Introduction•1 minute•Preview module
    • Smell: The Chemical Nature of Odorous Stimuli•3 minutes
    • Olfactory System Anatomy•4 minutes
    • Smell Transduction•3 minutes
    • Perception of Smell•6 minutes
    • Classification of Odors•3 minutes
    2 readings•Total 85 minutes
    • A Novel Mutigene Family May Encode Odorant Receptors: A Molecular Basis for Odor Recognition•45 minutes
    • Combinatorial Receptor Codes for Odors•40 minutes
    1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
    • Module 2 Quiz•15 minutes

    In this module, we will discuss retronasal olfaction versus orthonasal olfaction, dysfunctions in olfaction, and the basic system to describe the tactile senses. We will also do an activity on temperature adaptation. This module will end with an optional podcast conversation with Dr. Ann Noble. Let's begin.

    What's included

    4 videos4 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

    4 videos•Total 25 minutes
    • Stereochemical Theory: Lock and key•3 minutes•Preview module
    • Adaptation•2 minutes
    • Orthonasal and Retronasal Olfaction•3 minutes
    • Tactile Sensations, Cutaneous Perception•16 minutes
    4 readings•Total 69 minutes
    • Temperature Adaptation Activity•15 minutes
    • (Optional) Podcast: A Conversation Dr. Ann Noble•34 minutes
    • Predicting the Handle and Comfort of Military Clothing Fabrics from Sensory and Instrumental Data•10 minutes
    • Odorant Shape and Vibration Likely Lead to Olfaction Satisfaction•10 minutes
    1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
    • Module 3 Quiz•15 minutes
    2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
    • Temperature Adaptation Activity Results•10 minutes
    • (Optional Forum) Podcast: Dr. Ann Noble•10 minutes

    In this final module, we will continue discussing the senses focusing on vision and audition. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe the parts of the eye and parts of the retina. We will explain how receptor functions work, describe how to explain optical illusions, and go through aspects of depth perception. Finally, we will go into concepts surrounding hearing anatomy, transduction and adaptation. We will finish off this module with an optional podcast conversation with Dr. Armand Cardello.

    What's included

    10 videos3 readings1 assignment3 discussion prompts

    10 videos•Total 45 minutes
    • Module Introduction•1 minute•Preview module
    • The Anatomy of the Eye•8 minutes
    • The Receptors•3 minutes
    • Visual Areas of the Brain•2 minutes
    • Optical Illusions•6 minutes
    • Depth Perception•3 minutes
    • Color Perception•7 minutes
    • Hearing: Audition•3 minutes
    • Hearing Transduction and Adaptation•6 minutes
    • Course Summary•1 minute
    3 readings•Total 115 minutes
    • (Optional) Podcast: A Conversation with Dr. Armand Cardello•45 minutes
    • Chemesthesis: Pungency as a Component of Flavor•30 minutes
    • Sound Perception and Food Quality•40 minutes
    1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
    • Module 4 Quiz•30 minutes
    3 discussion prompts•Total 30 minutes
    • (Optional Forum) Podcast: Dr. Armand Cardello•10 minutes
    • Influences on Sensory Evaluation Studies•10 minutes
    • Self-Reflection•10 minutes

    Instructor

    Rebecca Bleibaum
    Rebecca Bleibaum
    University of California, Davis
    4 Courses•4,077 learners

    Offered by

    University of California, Davis

    Offered by

    University of California, Davis

    UC Davis, one of the nation’s top-ranked research universities, is a global leader in agriculture, veterinary medicine, sustainability, environmental and biological sciences, and technology. With four colleges and six professional schools, UC Davis and its students and alumni are known for their academic excellence, meaningful public service and profound international impact.

    Explore more from Psychology

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Sensory Science: Measuring the Senses

      Course

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Essentials of Sensory Science

      Specialization

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Sensory Science: Conducting Tests

      Course

    • U

      University of California, Davis

      Introduction to Sensory Science

      Course

    Why people choose Coursera for their career

    Felipe M.
    Learner since 2018
    "To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
    Jennifer J.
    Learner since 2020
    "I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
    Larry W.
    Learner since 2021
    "When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
    Chaitanya A.
    "Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

    Learner reviews

    4.8

    13 reviews

    • 5 stars

      84.61%

    • 4 stars

      15.38%

    • 3 stars

      0%

    • 2 stars

      0%

    • 1 star

      0%

    Showing 3 of 13

    N
    NK
    5

    Reviewed on Feb 12, 2025

    Very informative course to gain depth of Sensory knowledge.

    View more reviews

    New to Psychology? Start here.

    Cloud Data Security in 2025: Dangers, Safeguards, and More

    March 14, 2025

    Article · 8 min read

    What Is Data Communication? Basics to Know

    April 4, 2025

    Article

    What Is Cloud Infrastructure and How Does It Work?

    August 23, 2024

    Article

    Google Cloud Certification: 2025 Guide

    January 6, 2025

    Article · 10 min read

    Coursera Plus

    Open new doors with Coursera Plus

    Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

    Learn more

    Advance your career with an online degree

    Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

    Explore degrees

    Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

    Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

    Learn more

    Frequently asked questions

    Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

    • The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.

    • The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

    When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

    If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policyOpens in a new tab.

    Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

    More questions

    Visit the learner help center

    Financial aid available,

    Coursera Footer

    Technical Skills

    • ChatGPT
    • Coding
    • Computer Science
    • Cybersecurity
    • DevOps
    • Ethical Hacking
    • Generative AI
    • Java Programming
    • Python
    • Web Development

    Analytical Skills

    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Big Data
    • Business Analysis
    • Data Analytics
    • Data Science
    • Financial Modeling
    • Machine Learning
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Microsoft Power BI
    • SQL

    Business Skills

    • Accounting
    • Digital Marketing
    • E-commerce
    • Finance
    • Google
    • Graphic Design
    • IBM
    • Marketing
    • Project Management
    • Social Media Marketing

    Career Resources

    • Essential IT Certifications
    • High-Income Skills to Learn
    • How to Get a PMP Certification
    • How to Learn Artificial Intelligence
    • Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
    • Popular Data Analytics Certifications
    • What Does a Data Analyst Do?
    • Career Development Resources
    • Career Aptitude Test
    • Share your Coursera Learning Story

    Coursera

    • About
    • What We Offer
    • Leadership
    • Careers
    • Catalog
    • Coursera Plus
    • Professional Certificates
    • MasterTrack® Certificates
    • Degrees
    • For Enterprise
    • For Government
    • For Campus
    • Become a Partner
    • Social Impact
    • Free Courses
    • ECTS Credit Recommendations

    Community

    • Learners
    • Partners
    • Beta Testers
    • Blog
    • The Coursera Podcast
    • Tech Blog
    • Teaching Center

    More

    • Press
    • Investors
    • Terms
    • Privacy
    • Help
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Articles
    • Directory
    • Affiliates
    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Manage Cookie Preferences
    Learn Anywhere
    Download on the App Store
    Get it on Google Play
    Logo of Certified B Corporation
    © 2025 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
    • Coursera Facebook
    • Coursera Linkedin
    • Coursera Twitter
    • Coursera YouTube
    • Coursera Instagram
    • Coursera TikTok
    Coursera

    Sign up

    Learn on your own time from top universities and businesses.

    ​
    ​
    Between 8 and 72 characters
    Your password is hidden
    ​

    or

    Already on Coursera?


    I accept Coursera's Terms of Use and Privacy Notice. Having trouble logging in? Learner help center

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.