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The plain feel doctrine is associated specifically with the procedure of a Terry pat down or frisk. This legal principle allows law enforcement officers to seize evidence of a crime that they can immediately identify through the sense of touch during a lawful stop and frisk.

When an officer is conducting a Terry stop and has reasonable suspicion that a person is armed and dangerous, they are permitted to perform a limited pat-down of the individual's outer clothing. If, during this pat-down, the officer feels an object that they recognize as contraband (like drugs or a weapon), they may seize it. The key aspect of the plain feel doctrine is that the officer must have lawful justification for the frisk and must identify the item based solely on tactile sensation, without manipulation or further exploration.

This doctrine is grounded in the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, ensuring that any evidence collected during such interactions adheres to constitutional standards. Thus, it directly relates to the practice of conducting Terry pat downs or frisks, making it the most appropriate connection in the context of the question.