Orienting Response
|Orienting response, also called orienting reflex, is the reflex that causes an organism to respond instinctively and immediately to a change in its environment. The phenomenon was first described by Russian physiologist Sechenov in the 1850s in his book “Reflexes of the Brain”, and the term was coined by Ivan Pavlov who also referred to it as the “What is it?” or ‘what is different about this moment’ reflex. This instinctive and innate reaction responds to a potential threat by dropping everything and orienting to the change in the environment.
When people see a bright flash or light or hear a sudden loud noise, they orient their attention to it even before they identify what it is. This orienting reflex seems to be present from birth. It is adaptive in helping people react quickly to events that call for immediate action. It is instinctual and is a survival imperative.
This reflex can be controlled by the cortex, but more typically it is controlled by subcortical brain regions. Both of these brain regions are aspects of the unified Central Nervous System.
Interestingly, the “Orienting Response” was noted in the 2007 book “The Assualt on Reason” by former vice-president Al Gore who relates to us how television is closely linked to the “orienting response” which is related closely to vicarious traumatization.
