What is an example of a somatic sense?

The example of a somatic sense is touch. Somatic senses are those that provide awareness of the body and its position in space, often referred to as the body’s “general senses.” Touch specifically detects pressure, temperature, pain, and vibration through specialized receptors located throughout the skin and other tissues. This information contributes to our ability to interact with our environment and helps us respond to stimuli.

In contrast, vision, hearing, and smell are classified as special senses because they are associated with dedicated sensory organs (the eyes, ears, and nose, respectively) and are primarily responsible for perceiving specific types of stimuli—light, sound, and chemical substances in the environment. These senses process information in more specialized ways than the somatic senses.