A person with a fear of heights drives across a high bridge. Which division of the autonomic nervous system is stimulated in response to this experience?

A) Limbic system
B) Peripheral nervous system
C) Sympathetic nervous system
D) Parasympathetic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is made up of the sympathetic (fight-or-flight response) and parasympathetic (relaxation response) nervous systems. In times of stress, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. A person fearful of heights would experience stress associated with the experience of driving across a high bridge. The peripheral nervous system responds to messages from the sympathetic nervous system. The limbic system processes emotional responses but is not specifically part of the autonomic nervous system.