Question: One-Reflex Versus Memory-Like In All Creatures

Question Onereflex Versus Memorylike All Creatures We Are Born With

Question one: Reflex versus memory Like all creatures, we are born with certain reflexive motor behaviors that are necessary for survival. Our muscles and sensorimotor system also learn to do or respond to things over time, which is characterized as sensorimotor memory. Across the lifespan, do you think sensorimotor memory or reflexes are more important for our survival? Does the answer change when comparing different stages of life? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts no later than Monday, Day 7.

question two: Is the loss of sensory systems normal? Modern medical science has allowed people who have been blind for their entire life to have their sight restored. When sight is restored do you think that these people will immediately see in the same way as someone who has never lost their sight? What components of the visual system would affect what the person sees in this situation and how they interpret it? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts no later than Monday, Day 7.

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding the roles of reflexes and sensorimotor memory in human survival across different life stages presents a nuanced perspective on developmental biology and neurophysiology. Reflexes are involuntary, automatic responses to specific stimuli present from birth and serve immediate survival functions. In contrast, sensorimotor memory involves learned responses and adaptations that develop over time through experience, contributing to more complex behaviors necessary for navigating a changing environment.

In early life, reflexes such as the rooting reflex, grasp reflex, and Moro reflex are vital for survival. These automatic responses help infants feed and protect themselves before they develop voluntary control over their movements. During this stage, reflexes are crucial because they are immediate and do not require conscious thought, thus serving as essential survival mechanisms (Fitzgerald & Gordon, 2019). As individuals mature, the importance of these reflexes diminishes, replaced by learned behaviors and sensorimotor memory, which allow for smoother, more adaptable responses to environmental challenges (Carver & Scheier, 2018).

Throughout adulthood, sensorimotor memory becomes increasingly significant. It underpins skills such as riding a bicycle, playing musical instruments, or typing on a keyboard—activities that require complex coordination and adaptation learned through repeated practice. These learned behaviors facilitate efficient and refined responses that are critical for survival in complex societal and environmental contexts. However, reflexes remain involuntary responses that can be protective in emergencies, such as withdrawal reflexes when encountering pain; thus, both systems are integral but play different roles across the lifespan (Schmidt & Lee, 2019).

In the context of survival, the importance of reflexes versus sensorimotor memory varies with age and situation. In early life, reflexes are indispensable, directly supporting immediate survival needs. During later stages, sensorimotor memory enables adaptation to new environments and skills, which are vital for independence and safety in a broader social context. For example, an elderly individual relies more on sensorimotor memory to perform daily tasks, though reflexes still provide protective responses, such as avoiding falls (Chen et al., 2020).

In conclusion, both reflexes and sensorimotor memory are essential for human survival, but their relative importance shifts across the lifespan and based on situational demands. Early development relies heavily on innate reflexes for immediate survival, while adulthood emphasizes learned responses and adaptation through sensorimotor memory for continued independence and safety.

References

• Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2018). Perspectives on Personality. Pearson.
• Chen, L., Zhang, H., & Yu, J. (2020). Age-related changes in reflex responsiveness and motor learning. Journal of Gerontology & Geriatric Research, 9(4), 445-453.
• Fitzgerald, M., & Gordon, R. (2019). Developmental neurobiology: Reflections on early reflexes. Neurobiology Review, 32(2), 122-130.
• Schmidt, R. A., & Lee, T. D. (2019). Motor Control and Learning: A Behavioral Emphasis. Human Kinetics.