What is the most widely accepted cause of motion sickness?

The most widely accepted cause of motion sickness is sensory conflict. This phenomenon occurs when there is a disagreement between the sensory inputs received by the brain, particularly between what the eyes see and what the inner ear (the vestibular system) detects in terms of motion. For instance, when you are in a moving vehicle, your eyes may see a stationary environment outside, while your inner ear senses movement. This disparity creates confusion in the brain, leading to symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and disorientation.

Understanding that sensory conflict is the primary trigger helps in grasping the mechanisms of motion sickness and the ways to mitigate it, such as through habituation or adapting to motion stimuli over time. Other factors like physical exertion, motion compensation, and cognitive dissonance may influence the experience of motion sickness but do not serve as the primary causal mechanism, making sensory conflict the central explanation.