SENSORY PSYCHOLOGY Developed out of ancient concern to understand senses. Knowledge of sensory psychology was facilitated by: - assumption that the body obeyed mechanical laws. - advances in resolution of the microscope. - the discovery of nerves Bell and Megendie: Discovered independently the difference between sensory (dorsal) and motor (ventral) nerves. M¸ller: How many types of sensory nerves are there? Law of Specific Nerve Energies: Helmholtz: Hypothesized specific nerve energies for primary colors - red, green, blue. Gall: Phrenology.