Involuntary actions are beyond our ability to control. We can't control the movement of food in the alimentary canal, for example. These actions, on the other hand, are directly controlled by the brain. On the other hand, reflex behaviours such as pulling back the hand when it comes into contact with a hot object are instantaneous and do not require any thought. This implies that, unlike involuntary activities, reflex actions are not controlled by the brain. Involuntary actions like heartbeat and peristalsis cannot be conditioned, whereas reflex actions may. It's feasible to conclude that involuntary acts are all reflex actions, however not all involuntary actions are reflex actions.