Our senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) play a major role in our behavior. Whether we feel good, bad, sad, or bored often depends on our senses; which sense is being stimulated and to what degree.  Soft lighting, soothing background music, and the smell of cinnamon rolls baking is going to initiate a different behavioral response than bright lights, rock-n-roll and the smell of car fumes.   We use stimulation to pump us up or slow us down.  We are constantly adjusting the stimuli around us. When we want to "set the mood" we are playing with our senses. Stimulating our senses  with the kinds of things to bring about that certain feeling we want.

We place in our hands things to entertain or calm us. We read magazines and books; we watch television or rent a videos. Many of us have hobbies and pets that fill our time and stimulate us.  Then there are our boats, motorcycles, and cars what some of us call our adult toys.