startle pattern
noun
variants
or startle reaction
or startle response
: the complex of psychophysiological changes that is elicited in an organism by an unexpected sudden stimulus (such as a loud noise) and includes tremor, sweating, palpitation, dry mouth, and a feeling of fear or panic sometimes followed by escape or avoidance reactions
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“Startle pattern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/startle%20pattern. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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