Final answer:
Exteroceptors are sensory receptors that detect external stimuli, such as light and touch, contrasted with interoceptors for internal stimuli and proprioceptors for body position.
Step-by-step explanation:
Receptors that detect stimuli from outside the body are collectively known as exteroceptors. These receptors include various types like photoreceptors in the eye, which respond to light, or somatosensory receptors in the skin, which react to touch and temperature changes. Other types of receptors include interoceptors, which detect internal stimuli from organs and tissues, and proprioceptors, which sense the position and movement of the body's parts.
Exteroceptors are vital for our interaction with the external environment, allowing us to perceive a wide range of sensations that are crucial for our survival and understanding of the world around us. Examples of exteroceptors include photoreceptors in the eye for detecting light and somatosensory receptors in the skin for detecting touch, pressure, and temperature.