PSYC 215 Chapter 3: Week 3 txtbk
Document Summary
Surfaces in direct contact with the skin the position and movement of body parts. Proprioception: the sensory modality providing information about the position of body parts, served by mechanoreceptors in the musculoskeletal system. Kinesthesis: the sensory modality providing information about the movement of body parts, served by mechanoreceptors in the musculoskeletal system. the position and movement of the body itself relative to the external world. Balance: these are supplied by anatomically separate sensory system. The somatosensory system: touch mediates most intimate contact with external world. Direct contact with others = most intense sensory experiences. Important for avoiding tissue damage caused by direct contact with harmful surfaces: proprioception and kinesis is invisible compared to touch. Includes eight different kinds of receptors with two separate pathways linking receptors to the primary receiving area in the cerebral cortex: somatosensory receptors. Mechanoreceptors and free nerve endings below the surface of the skin, mediating perception of pain, temperature, pressure, vibration and stretch.