A student gently touches a staple to her fingertip and to the back of her arm near her elbow. How are these sensations likely to differ? Or would they feel similar?
A) The sensation would feel like two points on the fingertip but is likely to feel like only one point on the arm.
B) The sensations would feel identical because the same object touches both locations.
C) The sensation would feel like touch on the finger-tips but like pain on the elbow.
D) The sensation would feel like two points on the arm but is likely to feel like only one point on the fingertip.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The density of touch receptors varies across the body, with fingertips having a higher density than the back of the arm. This allows for more precise sensory discrimination on the fingertips, meaning a person is more likely to distinguish two close points as separate on the fingertip than on the arm.

A Student Gently Touches a Staple to Her Fingertip and to the Back