Video Transcript
Which of the following is not an
advantage of having reflex actions? (A) Reflex actions prevent a person
from feeling pain. (B) Reflex actions take care of
basic bodily functions like breathing and heart rate. (C) Reflex actions are
involuntary. (D) Reflex actions do not require
the brain to think about responses before acting. (E) Reflex actions allow a quick
response to danger.
This question is asking us to read
the answer choices and choose the one that is not an advantage of having reflex
actions. So, we can expect for four of these
choices to represent things that are advantages of having reflex actions. And we’re looking for the one
choice that is not an advantage. In order to answer this question,
first, we’ll review what we know about reflex actions.
A reflex can be defined as an
action that does not require conscious control. This means that reflexes are
involuntary or that they happen automatically. It also means that you don’t have
to think about them. Our reflexes are adaptations. That means that they each have a
purpose in helping us to survive. Reflex actions can happen very
quickly, since you don’t have to think about them before they’re carried out.
Many reflex actions, such as
pulling your hand away quickly from a hot stove, are meant to prevent injury to your
body. Other reflexes, such as ducking and
covering your head when you spot a fast-moving object, are reactions that help you
to avoid danger. With this information in mind,
let’s read through our answer choices again. We’ll mark down which of these
represent advantages and which do not.
Reflex actions prevent a person
from feeling pain. Well, when you touch something hot
and reflexively pull your hand away, it’s true it may hurt more if you held it there
longer. But the reflex action doesn’t
prevent you from eventually feeling the pain of the burn. This one is not an advantage of
having reflex actions.
Reflex actions take care of basic
bodily functions, like breathing and heart rate. Well, your breathing and your heart
rate are involuntary, and they generally occur without any need for your conscious
thought. Imagine if you constantly had to
concentrate on keeping your heart pumping. Taking care of bodily functions is
an advantage of reflex actions.
Reflex actions are involuntary. Well, the fact they happen
automatically is part of how they happen so quickly. This is another advantage of having
reflex actions. Reflex actions do not require the
brain to think about responses before acting. Once again, the fact that reflex
actions do not require conscious thought is part of the reason that they can occur
so rapidly. This is an advantage of having
reflex actions.
Reflex actions allow a quick
response to danger. One of the main advantages of
reflex actions is that they occur rapidly and allow you to avoid danger. So, the choice that is not an
advantage of having reflex actions is reflex actions prevent a person from feeling
pain.
