Space within receptive sheet in which sensory receptor is located and in which it transduces stimuli
• Each receptor responses only to stimulation within its receptive field
• Density of receptors in a given part of body determines how well sensory system can resolve detail of stimuli in that area
• Many peripheral receptors converge onto a single 2nd-order neuron in the dorsal column nuclei excitatory receptive field of central neuron is made up of the receptive fields of all presynaptic cells