You are typing a letter to your friend. Suddenly, an image of a car wreck pops up on your screen and you are startled by it. In this situation, the act of typing the letter is regulated by your ________, while your response of fear is regulated by your ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The act of typing a letter is a voluntary action controlled by the somatic nervous system, while the response of fear to an unexpected stimulus, like an image popping up, involves the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary body functions, including the fight-or-flight response.  The somatic system regulates the action of skeletal muscles and is involved with the behavior of writing. The autonomic system includes the sympathetic division, which governs responses to emergency situations.

You Are Typing a Letter to Your Friend