Question

Step 1: Address the following questions in discussion in one paragraph for each of the three question items:

Questions

1. Do you think that conscious (voluntary) movements must be organized differently from unconscious (involuntary) movements? What does the evidence tell you?

2. Can you point to any body movements that do not involve reflexes--or some reflexes that do not involve bodily movement?

Answer 1

1. Yes, conscious movements must have a different organization and neurological pathway as compared to that of the unconscious or involuntary movement. Let us consider an example where our body is exposed to extreme cold. We experience tremor which is an involuntary body movement created as to maintain body temperature. If this movement was voluntary and imagine that the person exposed to extreme cold is heavily involved in some other activity. His body may collapse soon due to lack of homeostasis as the person voluntarily has not taken any efforts to bring down body temperature irrespective of numerous warning signs.

2. Body movements which are voluntary in nature may usually have no involvement of reflex. For example, combing our hair is a body movement and not a reflex. However all reflexes are definitely body movement. Even constriction of pupil on heavy exposure of light is a body part motion of pupil and has movement. Hence it is not possible to site a reflex that has no body movement.