Sensory and multisensory perception—Perspectives toward defining multisensory experience and heritage

Abstract

Sensory experience pertaining to any of the recognized senses can manifest as a form of intangible cultural heritage, therefore having considerable value for society. Heritage research into multiple sensory components needs to consider not simply the social experience of each of the individual modalities, but how these sensory components combine or integrate to form an all‐encompassing multisensory experience. Clear terminologies are needed to accurately identify and describe such complex processes. We put forward a distinct lexicon in this perspective, building on conventional terms “multisensory perception” and “multisensory integration” and advancing the definitions “multisensory experience” and “multisensory heritage.”Practical applicationsThis perspective serves to delineate the extension of the term multisensory into the social science discipline. The sharing of a common nomenclature will allow a more unified development and scientific rigor moving forward and allows us to recognize, identify, and describe complex processes of multisensory experience and multisensory heritage. It allows us to understand that the human emotional response to multisensory experience is culturally enshrined, being recognized as a form of multisensory heritage following attribution of societal values. Finally, it recognizes the experiential response to multisensory heritage is unique, being significantly different than those of individual sensory experiences, presenting opportunities and challenges in heritage management.