Difference Between Stimulus and Response

Stimulus vs Response

The brain is the part of the body that controls all the other organs of the body. When one part of the body is stimulated, the information is signaled to the brain by neurons which process it and generate a response. This is studied in science, specifically cognitive science, which is the study of the processes of the mind. It studies how certain stimuli are perceived and received by an organism and how the organism responds to it by manifestations in its behavior.

A stimulus is any condition, agent, or action which incites a physiological or psychological activity causing a reaction or response. It acts as an incentive or stimulant which arouses action which may either be negative or positive. In all living things, a stimulus causes a reaction. It can cause an obvious change in the internal or external physical condition of an organism. A stimulus is felt by an organism’s senses which are sensitive parts of his physiology.

A stimulus appears as an energy pattern which can affect the behavior of an organism, particularly of man. It is experienced by man through his senses of vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. There are four aspects of a stimulus, namely: its type, which may be sensed like a sound or taste; its intensity, which is the extent of its force; its location, which provides the brain information about the part of the body that is stimulated; and its duration, which is the length of time that the part is stimulated.

When any part of an organism or of man’s sensory organs is stimulated, a reaction or a response will result. A response is the behavior that is manifested by a living organism which is the result of an external or internal stimulus. It is the activity of the organism or of his body parts as a reaction to the stimulation of his senses. The detection and receipt of the stimulus by an organism and its conversion into a signal is the response of the organism to the stimulus.

The response may be cellular or physical, or it can be behavioral. An example of a cellular response is when a person exhibits allergic reactions to certain substances that he ingests. A behavioral response is the change that takes place in an organism’s behavior, actions, attitude, or demeanor as a result of being stimulated by a stimulus. An example is the feeling of sadness and loneliness when a loved one dies.

Summary:

1.A stimulus is any agent, condition, action, or activity which arouses a positive or negative reaction while a response is the resulting reaction towards the stimulus.
2.A stimulus can cause a change in the physical and behavioral patterns of an organism while a response is how this change is manifested in the organism.
3.When there is a stimulus, a response is sure to follow.
4.A stimulus varies according to its type, intensity, location, and duration while a response may be physical or cellular, or it may be behavioral.

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