Touch or somatosensory is a perception resulting from activation of neural receptors, generally in the skin, and a variety of pressure receptors respond to variations in pressure.

On some parts of our skin — such as our hands — a large quantity of neural receptors are packed into a small area, giving those parts of our skin a much better ability to gather information and to discern shapes, sizes, and textures. With our eyes closed, we can easily determine the shape and size of a small object just by touching it with our hands. This is very hard to do with any other part of our skin. Part of the trick is that we don’t have to feel the entire surface at once. It is our brain that puts the information together.

Proprioception – Body Awareness Sense – Sense of Position is the sense of the relative position of parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement. This sense is very important as it lets us know exactly where our body parts are, how we are positioned in space and to plan our movements. Examples of our proprioception in practice include being able to clap our hands together with our eyes closed, write with a pencil and apply with correct pressure, and navigate through a narrow space. It is sometimes described as the “sixth sense”.

Proprioception is what allows someone to learn to walk in complete darkness without losing balance. During the learning of any new skill, sport, or art, it is usually necessary to become familiar with some proprioceptive tasks specific to that activity. Without the appropriate integration of proprioceptive input, an artist would not be able to brush paint onto a canvas without looking at the hand as it moved the brush over the canvas; it would be impossible to drive an automobile because a motorist would not be able to steer or use the pedals while looking at the road ahead; a person could not touch type or perform ballet; and people would not even be able to walk without watching where they put their feet.

Vestibular – Movement or Balance Sense – Equilibrioception explains the perception of our body in relation to gravity, movement and balance. The vestibular system measures acceleration, g-force, body movements and head position. Examples of the vestibular system in practice include knowing that you are moving when you are in an elevator, knowing whether you are lying down or sitting up, and being able to walk along a balance beam.

To detect gravity and acceleration we rely upon the semi-circular canals in our inner ears. Even though gravity is a phenomenon that originates outside of our bodies, the only thing we learn from detecting it is which way is “up”, which allows us to maintain our bodies in an upright position as we stand or walk — even when our eyes are closed.