PS261 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Reflex Arc, Startle Response, Efferent Nerve Fiber
Document Summary
2. 1 introduction elicited behaviour: behaviour that occurs in response to a specific stimulus: most behaviour is elicited, history argue all behaviour is elicited no free will. If stimulus is present, will see response: will rarely see response w/o stimulus being present. Specificity of relationship bw eliciting stimulus and corresponding response also means that the response will be roughly the same each time the stimulus occurs. In vertebrates reflexes are mediated by as little as 3 neurons together they constitute the reflex arc. Sensory neurons (afferent neurons) engaged by environmental stimuli, and send info towards spinal cord. Motor neurons / efferent neurons receive info from spinal cord + transmit it to the muscles to perform the reflexive response. Afferent = signal coming in from the senses. Efferent = signals going out to muscles/ exiting. Sensory + motor neurons send info in opposite directions.
