This field of study emerged in the late 80’s, the area of academia posits that senses are culturally conditioned. The values that we attach to sensory perception are not universal, even the number of recognised senses differs around the world.
In Western culture, staring is considered rude. However in some cultures this could be read as respectful. The way we perceive such a simple thing as the direction of someone’s eyes is directly informed by our culture.
Ocularcentrism/Visuocentricim
These terms refer to the cultural prioritisation of the visual.
“Only the briefest survey shows the presence of visual metaphors and meanings.When one solves a problem he has had the requisite insight. Reason is the innerlight. There is a mind’s “eye”. We are enlightened when informed by an answer.Even the lightbulb going on in a cloud over the cartoon character’s head continuesthe linkage of thought with vision.” (Ihde, p8)
Ihde, Don. Listening and Voice: Phenomenologies of Sound. 2nd ed. Albany: StateUniversity of New York Press, 2007.
This prioritisation is evident in our speech, ‘I see’, ‘the whole picture’, ‘thats just hear say’. The latter even expressing a negative connotation, as if sound is not a reliable source. In the history of academia there is a division between higher and lower senses. Higher senses are associated with ‘visions’ or the mind. Lower are associated with smell, touch and taste (Bodily senses). There is a Western hierarchy of the senses.