Which of the following is a characteristic of the instinctive drowning response?

The instinctive drowning response is a critical concept to understand when it comes to recognizing drowning individuals. One of the key characteristics of this response involves the head bobbing up and down. This behavior occurs because a drowning person is unable to keep their head above water while struggling to breathe. They may appear to be trying to swim or call for help, but the primary focus is on getting their head out of the water just long enough to inhale.

During this instinctive response, individuals are often not able to perform coordinated swimming strokes. Instead, their movements become erratic as they instinctually attempt to get air. By understanding this characteristic, rescuers can identify individuals who are in trouble more effectively, as they may not exhibit the typical signs of swimming or waving for help that spectators might expect.