PSYC121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Somatic Nervous System, Nociception, Proprioception
Document Summary
Lecture 10 - the nervous system and its role in behaviour. Nociception - the sensory nervous system"s response to certain harmful or potentially harmful stimuli. Proprioception - the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. The somatic nervous system transmits sensory information to the central nervous system and carries out its motor commands. Sensory neurons receive information through receptors in the eyes, ears, tongue, skin, muscles and other parts of the body. Efferent nerves (muscles) - voluntary body movements and skeletal muscles. Afferent nerves (perception) - touch, temperature, nociception, proprioception. The automatic nervous system conveys information to and from internal bodily structures that carry out basic life processes such as digestion and respiration. Sympathetic ns - readies the body in response to threat; activates the organism. Parasympathetic ns - calms the body down. conserves energy as it slows heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and more.
