Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

What sense can a fetus likely sense as early as five months following conception due to vestibular system maturation?

1. pain

2. sound

3. tastes

4. motion

The correct answer is: motion

The correct choice is motion, as the vestibular system, which is involved in balance and spatial orientation, begins to mature within the prenatal environment. By around five months of gestation, the fetal vestibular system is sufficiently developed so that the fetus can start to perceive motions that occur within the mother's body. This includes sensations related to the mother's movements as well as the sensation of being in motion, which can be influenced by changes in the mother's position or activity. Understanding motion perception is critical, as it plays a foundational role in the development of later motor skills and awareness of one's body in space after birth. The other options—pain, sound, and tastes—have different timelines for development and are not primarily associated with the vestibular system's maturation at this stage. Pain perception typically develops later, sound perception begins with functional auditory structures which develop around the same time but is not tied directly to the vestibular system, and taste perception is linked to the development of taste buds and exposure to amniotic fluid. Hence, motion is the most accurate answer regarding what a fetus can sense at this early stage due to the maturity of the vestibular system.