Which aspect of body sensation are somatic receptors primarily responsible for?

• A. Temperature
• B. Proprioception
• C. Pain
• D. Touch

Answer: (B)

Proprioception is the sense of body position and movement, and somatic receptors are the specialized detectors for this information. Receptors in muscles (muscle spindles), tendons (Golgi tendon organs), and joints sense stretch, tension, and joint angles. The signals they send to the brain keep track of where limbs are and how they’re moving, enabling coordination, posture, and balance even without looking. Other somatic receptors—like cutaneous ones—primarily detect external touch, temperature, or pain, but proprioceptive receptors are the ones most directly tied to sensing the body’s own position and movement, which is why this is the best characterization of somatic receptors in this context.