DID YOU FEEL THE HEAT OR SEE THE LIGHT? SENSORY PERCEPTION, STRESS, AND DECISION-MAKING IN FORENSIC CONTEXTS

Abstract

Human perception is central to legal decision-making. Witnesses, victims, suspects, police officers, and jurors routinely rely on sensory experiences when interpreting events under conditions of uncertainty and stress. The question “Did you feel the heat or see the light?” metaphorically captures a fundamental issue in forensic psychology: whether individuals rely more on visceral, affect-driven sensations or on visual and cognitive cues when making judgments in high-stakes legal contexts. This research article examines how different sensory modalities—particularly somatosensory (e.g., heat, bodily arousal) and visual perception—influence attention, memory, threat assessment, and decision-making in forensic settings. Drawing on cognitive neuroscience, stress research, eyewitness psychology, and legal scholarship, the paper explores how sensory dominance shifts under stress and how such shifts affect accuracy, bias, and accountability. The article further discusses implications for eyewitness testimony, police use-of-force decisions, interrogation practices, and juror reasoning, offering evidence-based recommendations for legal actors.