Question

Testing Two-Point Discrimination

LOCATION TWO-POINT DISCRIMINATION(mm)
Anterior Forearm 3 mm
Anterior Thigh 7 mm
Face 6 mm
Vertebral Region 39 mm
Fingertip 4 mm

What results did you expect for each test? Explain.
Did your observations agree with your expectations? Interpret your results.

Answer 1

Two-point discrimination is the minimal distance which someone can perceive two different stimuli that given simultaneously. An area with higher receptor density will have a lower two-point discrimination result since the distance between receptor is lower.
The area that needs a high sensitivity like the palm of the hands(especially the fingertips), face, and tongue should be the one with lowest two-point discrimination.

In this report, anterior forearm two-point discrimination result is the lower than the fingertip. This result is suspicious since the forearm shouldn't more sensitive than the fingertip. Fingertip two-point discrimination is around 2-6mm and forearm should be much higher than 6mm.