Proprioception Lab

Prepare in class

Start here in class, before the demonstrations. Use Reference 2 · Motor Control, Sensory Input & Proprioception in the Motor Behavior module of your own EXS101 Canvas course. Review the explanations of sensory receptors, proprioception, and sensory versus motor signals. Use brief notes in your own words; keep the reference open.

Receptor review

Use the receptor table and worked examples in Reference 2. For each entry, identify its location and the information it detects. A brief phrase for each is enough. You will connect the receptors to your observations after the activities.

Review all four sources of sensory information. Pay attention to the difference between touch at the skin and skin stretch that provides information about limb position or movement.

Before you test

Select Finish prep to save your responses in this browser and open the activity tabs. Your responses will carry into your report. Wait for your instructor to demonstrate the four activities. Then move to the lab space and complete all four with a partner. Record your own evidence and write your own reflection. If you need an adapted setup, check with your instructor and label your role and setup in your trial notes.

Activity 1 · Position matching

Activity 1 of 4. Work seated with a partner. Use a comfortable elbow range and keep your upper arms near your sides.

1. Choose and describe a target position, such as an elbow bent about halfway. The performer holds one arm at that position.
2. With vision, bend the other elbow to match. The observer records whether the matching elbow is more bent, less bent, or close. Return the matching arm to its starting position.
3. Keep the target arm in place. Close your eyes or have your partner hold a screen that blocks both arms, then match with the other arm again. The observer records the result before discussing either attempt.
4. Repeat at one other comfortable position, starting without vision this time. Switch roles. Each student records two positions, each with and without vision.

Use the same observer for both conditions in a trial.

Activity 2 · Dumbbell load discrimination

1. Work seated. Your partner chooses comfortable light dumbbells, including one same-weight comparison across two trials. Keep both elbows at similar angles with upper arms near your sides.
2. Your partner places the reference dumbbell in one hand, then the comparison in the other. Watch your grip during each handoff; keep weight markings hidden while you judge. Hold both briefly and comfortably.
3. Record whether the second weight feels lighter, the same, or heavier than the first. Your partner then reveals both weights. Record them with units.
4. Complete one more comparison, switching which hand receives the reference weight. Include one same-weight comparison. Switch roles.

Activity 3 · Tactile object identification

Use one object per student. Compare two agreed-upon body locations, then explore the object with your hands. This activity examines touch and object recognition as part of sensory input.

1. The partner selects a clean, blunt object from the available collection without revealing it. Agree on two comfortable contact locations. Obtain permission before contact; avoid the face and sensitive areas.
2. The performer blocks vision and keeps it blocked until the reveal. Gently apply the object to the first location, then the second. Avoid names, speech clues, and object sounds. If a sound or glimpse gives a clue, choose a different object and restart.
3. After each location, record what you notice, such as shape, texture, edges, pressure, or temperature. Record your best guess before using your hands; “unsure” is acceptable.
4. With vision still blocked, explore the object using your hands. Record the additional tactile details and your final guess before the reveal. The partner then reveals the object.
5. Switch roles and select a different object for the other student. Take the setup photo after the reveal.

Activity 4 · Movement-direction detection

1. Sit with your elbow comfortably bent and forearm supported. Agree on a small, comfortable range and get permission before moving a partner’s arm. If you prefer to avoid partner contact, record a consenting partner’s trials and label your evidence as an observer.
2. Look away. Relax your arm as your partner supports your forearm and slowly moves it a small amount toward bending or straightening. Say which way it moved before you look.
3. Say your answer before your partner reveals the actual direction. Record both the actual direction and your answer. Return to the starting position between trials. Complete two trials in total, one bending and one straightening in an unpredictable order, then switch roles.

Reflection & PDF

Reopen Reference 2 in the Motor Behavior module of your EXS101 Canvas course. Refer to a specific trial or comparison from each of the four activities across your responses. Name the relevant reference tab or concept and explain how it helps you interpret your evidence. Similar results, unexpected results, and incorrect guesses are all useful evidence.

Use brief, complete explanations. Each response should connect your own evidence to the relevant concept from Reference 2.

Before exporting, add one captioned photo on each of the four activity tabs. Setup or equipment photos are acceptable; keep faces out of frame.