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VIDEO

VIDEO

The Startle Reflex

The Startle Reflex

Brain Games illustrates and explains how our brain responds when we're startled.

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All

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National Geographic Channel

How well can you control your reflexes when you are startled? Chances are, not very well. This is because the startle reflex is automatic and we are evolutionarily hardwired to react immediately. This video illustrates the difficulty of resisting our reflexes and explains the role of the brain stem, a prehistoric part of our brain, in triggering our startle response.

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Writer
Chandana Jasti, National Geographic Society
Copyeditor
Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing, Emdash Editing
Producer
Andrew Rasner, National Geographic Society
other
Last Updated

October 19, 2023

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