Unit 2 - Chapter 9 Reading Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
the maintenance of a relatively constant internal physiological environment
9.1
the psychological process that induces or sustains a particular behavior
motivation
yes, and: effect can escalate as deviation worsens from minor distraction (urge to sip water) to a major distraction (raging thirst of person lost in desert)
9.1
active process of maintaining a relative constant internal temperature through behavioral and physiological adjustments
thermoregulation
9.1
General concepts of homeostasis:
- negative feedback
- redundancy
- behavioral compensation
- concept of allostasis
9.1
an animal whose body temperature is regulated chiefly by internal metabolic processes
examples: mammals, birds
endotherm
make heat inside our bodies using metabolism, muscle activity
9.1
animal whose body temperature is regulated by, and whose heat comes mainly from, the environment
examples: snakes and bees
endotherms
get heat from outside our bodies using metabolism, muscle activity
advantages endotherms have over ectotherms
- we can roam more widely, ectotherms need to stay near sources of warmth
- enhanced capacity for oxygen utilization, so muscles will work for longer periods of time in endotherms
Negative feedback allows ———————-
precise control
Name some primarily negative feedback systems.
homeostatic mechanisms that regulate temperature, body fluids and metabolism
the process whereby a system monitors its own output and reduces its activity when a set point is reached
negative feedback
What is a “set point”?
the point of reference in a feedback system
ex. temperature at which a thermostat is set
9.1
What is a set zone?
optimal range of a variable that a negative feedback system tries to maintain
9.1
What does redundancy ensure?
that critical needs are met
9.1
the —————– senses and controls body tempurature
hypothalamus
9.1
How is the hypothalamus an example of homeostatic reduncancy (i.e., two different systems for regulating the same variable)?
lesion experiments showed different hypothalamic sites control 2 separate thermoregulatory systems:
- lesions in preoptic area (POA) of rats impair physiological responses to cold, like shivering and constriction of blood vessels but did not intervere with behaviors like pressing levers to control heating lamps or cooling lamps
- lesions in lateral hypothalamus of rats abolished behavioral regulation of temp but did not affect physiological responses (e.g., they still shivered)
9.1
Animals use behavioral compensation to adjust to ———————– ———————–.
environmental changes
9.1
In general, both ectotherms and endotherms use 3 kinds of temp-regulating behaviors:
Behaviors that change….
1. exposure to the body surface (huddling or extending limbs)
2. external insulation (using clothes or nests)
3. behaviors that change surroundings (move into sun, shade, burrow)
9.1
Why are behavioral methods of thermoregulation especially important to ectotherms?
Since they cannot generate much heat through metabolism, they need to rely more on behavioral methods to preserve warmth or stay cool (lizards move closer to a heat lamp)
yes, and: lizards can develop “behavioral fevers” caused by moving closer to a heat source during bacterial infection
9.1
How could endothermics’ use of internal processes to regulate temperature have a negative effect?
when fighting an infection, we often generate a fever to boost our immune system response. However, sometimes it heats up too much and causes harm
9.1
Name the components of the basic mammalian thermoregulatory system.
receptors in the skin, body core, and hypothalamus detect and transmit information to three neural regions:
- spinal cord
- brainstem
- hypothalamus
9.1
Where are receptors for mammalian thermoregulatory systems?
body core, skin surface, and hypothalamus/POA
9.1
Which neural regions are involved in the thermoregulatory system?
spinal cord, brain stem, and hypothalamus/POA
9.1
What physiological and behavioral responses can thermoregulation cause?
Behavioral: shivering; heat-seeking or avoiding behaviors
Physiological: constriction/dilation of blood vessels; sweating; respiration; thyroid hormone secretion
9.1
the varying behavioral and physiological adjustments that an individual makes in order to maintain optimal (rather than static) functioning of a regulated system in the face of changing environmental stressors
allostasis
9.1