involuntary action
Uncontrolled bodily movement
An involuntary action is something the body does without conscious control or intention.
Reflexes like blinking, breathing, and the heartbeat are involuntary actions—they happen automatically.
The term also covers movements that occur against one's will: The medication caused involuntary muscle twitches.
In legal contexts, an involuntary action may reduce or eliminate culpability.
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- knee jerkInvoluntary leg response
- heartbeatRhythmic cardiac contraction
- blinkRapid lid movement
- eye twitchInvoluntary eyelid movement
nervous twitch · seizure · fight-or-flight response · breathing · myoclonus · sneeze · gag · dry heaves · tremor · shiver · goose bumps · cold sweat · yawn · digestion · spasm · tic · perspiration · cough
- reflexesreflex, reflexes, reflex response, quick reflexes, startle reflex
- legal necessitynecessity, legal justification, justification, legal excuse, duress
involuntary, action, voluntary, voluntarily, involuntarily, volunteer, volition, volitional, actions