Final answer:
Cold stimuli are generally detected more quickly than warm stimuli because cold detectors are situated closer to the skin surface and could potentially be more numerous or more readily activated than heat receptors.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering which types of thermoreceptors are more numerous, it's important to note that humans typically detect cold stimuli before warm stimuli, as cold detectors are more superficially located in the skin compared to warmth detectors. Thermoreceptors are sensitive to temperature changes, with specific receptors for detecting cold, known as Krause end bulbs, and separate receptors for detecting warmth, called Ruffini endings.
Additional types of cold receptors are found on some free nerve endings. These thermoreceptors send information through pathways from the spinal cord, through the thalamus, and to the primary somatosensory cortex.
The proximity of cold receptors to the skin's surface could suggest they are more numerous or at least more readily activated than heat receptors. Furthermore, the highest concentration of thermoreceptors is found in the face and ears, indicating that these areas are particularly sensitive to temperature variations.