Psychologists study sensation and perception to explain how and why externally gathered sensations and perceptions impact behaviors and mental processes. Using input from several anatomical structures, the sensations we perceive process and interpret information about the environment around us and our place within it. This results in perceptions that influence how we think and behave. In this way, sensation and perception provide a bridge between the biological and cognitive perspectives, offering aspects of both for explaining how we think and behave.