What does proprioception allow us to sense?

Proprioception refers to the body's ability to perceive its own position and movement in space. This sensory feedback is gathered from specialized receptors located in the muscles, tendons, and joints, allowing us to maintain balance, coordinate movements, and understand how different parts of our body relate to one another and to our environment. It enables activities such as walking, catching a ball, or even sitting upright without needing to look at our limbs. This awareness of bodily position is critical for complex motor tasks and contributes to overall body awareness, making it an essential function in both everyday activities and athletic performance.

The other options relate to different sensory modalities: emotional states are sensed through psychological and physiological changes rather than proprioception, environmental sounds are processed through the auditory system, and temperature variations are detected through thermoreceptors. Thus, proprioception specifically relates to the sense of bodily position.