PSYC 2330 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Startle Response, Supernormal Stimulus, Habituation
20 Mar 2013
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All animals react to the events in their environment. I. e. a loud noise causes a startle reaction, a light puff of air directed at the cornea makes the eye blink, and a tap just below the knee causes the leg to kick. A reflex involves two closely related events: an eliciting stimulus and a corresponding response: the response and the stimulus are linked, a response rarely occurs in the absence of the stimulus. The relation between a stimulus and a response is a consequence of the organization of the nervous system. The respiratory occlusion reflex is stimulated by a reduction of air flow to the baby, which can be caused by a cloth covering the baby"s face, or accumulation of mucus in the nasal. In response the baby"s first reaction is to pull her head back or even crying. The availability of milk in the breast is determined by the milk-letdown- reflex: triggered by the infant"s suckling behavior.
