Final answer:
Hallucinations are sensory experiences that occur without a sensory stimulus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sensory experiences refer to perceptions derived from the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. These encounters with the external environment shape our understanding of the world, influencing emotions, memories, and overall cognition through the interpretation of sensory stimuli.
Sensory experiences that occur without a sensory stimulus are called hallucinations. Hallucinations are perceptual experiences that are not based on external stimuli but are generated by the brain. They can occur in various sensory modalities, such as seeing things that are not there which are visual hallucinations or hearing voices that are not present which are auditory hallucinations.