Diverse measures of behavior are examined in a student and large patient sample for the purpose of supporting the concept that conflict in sensory mechanisms may contribute to diminished or impaired function. Evidence supports the contention that two patterns of orientation may exist at the extremes of motion sickness susceptibility and that individuals showing transitional patterns of organization may be vulnerable to different kinds of central nervous system disorganization. The authors believe that a consideration of sensory function as it relates to patterns of behavior may contribute to an expansion in the medical model of mental illness.