A person touches a stove, withdraws his or her hand, and then yells. Why does the yelling occur after the hand is withdrawn? Does the person become aware of th pain before the hand is withdrawn?
by 
Kanha
ANSWERS: 4
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The defensive reflex response is quicker than the vocal response to the pain.
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Removing your hand is a reflex. It's faster than the emotional reaction to the pain.
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Drawing back the hand is reflex, involuntary, and therefore almost instantaneous, like when the doctor taps under the patella (kneebone) with his little hammer and the leg kicks out involuntarily. The yell takes longer because there are more muscles involved and usually the person does at least a short inhale before yelling. Also the yell is at least partially voluntary. (Don't believe this? When a 3-year-old falls down, she/he is perfectly capable of waiting to holler until the mom is within earshot.)
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The reflex withdrawal of the hand occurs at the level of the spinal cord, so the nerve impulses don't have to travel all the way to the brain; thus the reflex occurs quickly. The conscious perception of the pain stimulus requires nerve impulses to arrive at the brain, get processed, and generate a response (yelling) which requires a longer distance to travel, thus more time.
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