Receiving and interpreting information from stimuli is the process that psychologists refer to as

Perception.

Perception is an organization, classification, and understanding of sensory knowledge in order to interpret and perceive the displayed knowledge, or the environment.

All perception comprises signals which go through the nervous system, and in turn, proceeds from physical or chemical stimulation of the sensory system. For example, the image comprises of light striking the retina of the eye, the smelling is reconciled by odor molecules, and sound comprises of pressure waves.