Which of the following is a type of processing that can occur in postural control?

• A. Automaticity (nonconscious responses)
• B. Cognition, attention, planning (conscious responses)
• C. Sensory integration
• D. Motor planning

Answer: (C)

Postural control relies on merging information from multiple senses to guide how we adjust our stance. Sensory integration is the process of combining vestibular input, vision, and proprioception to form a coherent sense of body position and movement, which then drives the corrective motor actions that maintain balance. For example, on a swaying surface, the brain weighs ankle proprioception with visual cues and vestibular signals to decide how to shift weight and activate muscles. While automatic, nonconscious responses and conscious cognitive attention or planning and motor planning can also play roles in balance, the specific processing that integrates sensory information to produce the appropriate postural adjustments is sensory integration.