Question

a teen is driving on the interstate highway for the first time since obtaining a drivers license. the teen is nervous and wants to get off the highway but cannot do so; their heart and pulse are racing. in this scenario, the physiological responses can be best attributed to the______ nervous system.

○ sympathetic

○ central

○ parasympathetic

○ somatic

Explanation:

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight - or - flight" response. In this scenario, the teen is nervous (a stress - inducing situation), and the racing heart and pulse are typical physiological responses of the fight - or - flight response, which is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and is not directly responsible for these immediate physiological responses to stress. The parasympathetic nervous system is for "rest - and - digest" and would have the opposite effect (slowing heart rate, etc.). The somatic nervous system is involved in voluntary muscle control, not these internal physiological responses to stress.

Answer:

A. sympathetic