Ace the CRMA Challenge 2026 – Risk Management Rockstars Unite!

The function of the sensory system encompasses various processes that allow an organism to perceive and interact with its environment. Smell, taste, and touch are all directly related to the five traditional senses, which function through specialized sensory receptors.

Smell involves olfactory receptors that detect airborne chemical stimuli, while taste relies on gustatory receptors to perceive flavors present in food and liquids. Touch is mediated through a range of receptors in the skin that respond to pressure, temperature, and pain, allowing the organism to perceive physical sensations.

Balance, however, is primarily associated with the vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining equilibrium and spatial orientation. The vestibular system operates through specialized structures in the inner ear, which detect motion and changes in head position, providing information that is essential for balance. While balance is crucial for overall sensory integration, it does not belong to the classical sensory modalities of smell, taste, or touch. Therefore, it does not function as one of the primary senses within the traditional framework of the sensory system.