Chapter 11: Part 1 Regulatory Mechanisms

Question 1

what homeostasis?

Answer 1

The process by which the body’s substances and characteristics (such as temperature and glucose level) are maintained at their optimal level.

Question 2

what is ingestive behavior?

Answer 2

eating or drinking

Question 3

what four features does a regulatory mechanism contain?

Answer 3

system variable, set point, detector, and correctional mechanism

Question 4

what is a physiological regulatory mechanism

Answer 4

maintains the constancy of some internal characteristic of the organism in the face of external variability—for example, keeping body temperature constant despite changes in the ambient temperature.

Question 5

what is a system variable?

Answer 5

this is the characteristic that is needs to be regulated

Question 6

what is a set point?

Answer 6

this is the optimal value of the system variable

Question 7

what is a detector?

Answer 7

this monitors the value of the system variable

Question 8

what is a correctional mechanism?

Answer 8

this restores the system variable to where it is supposed to be. (set point)

Question 9

what is a satiety mechanism?

Answer 9

this is a brain mechanism that keeps track of hunger and thirst. It tells us when we have eaten enough or drank enough to satisfy our hunger or thirst.

Question 10

what is negative feedback?

Answer 10

A process whereby the effect produced by an action serves to diminish or terminate that action; a characteristic of regulatory systems. (think of heating system, room cools… makes heater turn on)