What is the process called by which our sensory systems transform stimulus energies into neural impulses?

The correct term for the process by which our sensory systems convert stimulus energies, such as light, sound, or touch, into neural impulses is transduction. This process is fundamental to how we perceive our environment, as it involves the sensory receptors responding to external stimuli and transforming them into electrical signals that can be processed by the nervous system.

For example, in the case of vision, light hits the photoreceptors in the retina of the eye, which transduce the light waves into electrical signals. Similarly, in hearing, sound waves are transformed into neural activity by the hair cells in the cochlea. This transduction allows us to interpret and understand the sensory information we receive.

Other terms, while related to sensory perception, refer to different concepts. Adaptation involves the process by which sensory receptors become less sensitive to constant stimuli over time. Transference may relate to how experiences or knowledge influence perception but does not describe the conversion process itself. Transmission refers to the movement of these neural impulses through the nervous system but does not encompass the initial transformation from sensory input to neural signal. Therefore, transduction is the precise term that captures this essential step in sensory processing.