Saturday, August 25, 2007

Moro reflex

So what do you know about the Moro reflex? Wikipedia has an interesting article that states:


This reflex is a response to unexpected loud noise or when the infant feels like it is falling. It is believed to be the only unlearned fear in human newborns. The little Albert study used the startle reflex in the famous classical conditioning experiment to make him fear white fuzzy things.

The primary significance of this reflex is in evaluating integration of the central nervous system (CNS), since the reflex involves 4 distinct components:

1. Startle
2. spreading out the arms (abduction)
3. unspreading the arms (adduction)
4. Crying (usually)


Via Kottke's article on accelerometers .... [Nonlinear Links Win!]

Do dogs have a Moro Reflex? Did Moro have a Dog? Is surrealism dead?

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