Assignment 1

General Psychology

Name: Lyra Penelope O. Oliquino Course and Year: BSM 1A

Answer the following questions:

1. Which systems comprise the body’s total response mechanism?

These are the nervous system and the endocrine ( hormone ) system. These systems regulate
body processes through chemical and electrical signals that pass between cells.

2. What is the role of the nervous system?

The nervous system is made up of all of your body's nerve cells. We communicate with the
outside world via the nervous system, which also controls many internal mechanisms in our
bodies. The nervous system receives information from our senses, processes it, and initiates
reactions such as making your muscles move or making you feel pain.
The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are normally antagonistic in the body.
Your body's sympathetic nervous system prepares it for physical and mental activity. It causes
your heart to beat faster and stronger, opens your airways to allow for easier breathing, and
inhibits digestion.
When we are at rest, the parasympathetic nervous system is in charge of bodily functions such as
digestion, activation of various metabolic processes, and relaxation. However, the sympathetic
and parasympathetic nervous systems do not always work in opposing directions; they can also
complement one another.

3. What is the general function of the endocrine glands?

The hormones created and released by the glands in your body’s endocrine system control nearly
all the processes in your body. These chemicals help coordinate your body’s functions, from
metabolism to growth and development, emotions, mood, sexual function and even sleep.

The main glands that produce hormones include:

● Hypothalamus: This gland is located in your brain and controls your endocrine system.
It uses information from your nervous system to determine when to tell other glands,
including the pituitary gland, to produce hormones. The hypothalamus controls many
processes in your body, including your mood, hunger and thirst, sleep patterns and sexual
function.
● Pituitary: This little gland is only about the size of a pea, but it has a big job. It makes
hormones that control several other glands such as the thyroid gland, adrenal glands,
ovaries and testicles. The pituitary gland is in charge of many different functions,
including how your body grows. It’s located at the base of your brain.

● Thyroid: Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. It’s
responsible for your metabolism (how your body uses energy).

● Parathyroid: These four tiny glands are no larger than a grain of rice. They control the
level of calcium in your body. For your heart, kidneys, bones and nervous system to
work, you need the right amount of calcium.

● Adrenal: You have two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. They control your
metabolism, blood pressure, sexual development and response to stress.

● Pineal: This gland manages your sleep cycle by releasing melatonin, a hormone that
causes you to feel sleepy.

● Pancreas: Your pancreas is part of your endocrine system, and it plays a significant role
in your digestive system too. It makes a hormone called insulin that controls the level of
sugar in your blood.

● Ovaries: In women, the ovaries release sex hormones called estrogen, progesterone and
testosterone. Women have two ovaries in their lower abdomen, one on either side.

● Testes: In men, the testes (testicles) make sperm and release the hormone testosterone.
This hormone affects sperm production, muscle strength and sex drive.
4. How do muscles generally function in the response system of the body?

Neurons carry messages from the brain via the spinal cord. These messages are carried to the
muscles which tell the muscle fibre to contract, which makes the muscles move.

5. Why are the senses studied in psychology?

Sensation and perception work in tandem to detect both the presence of and changes in the
stimuli around us. The study of sensation and perception is extremely important in our daily lives
because the knowledge generated by psychologists is used to help so many people in so many
different ways.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279390/#:~:text=The%20nervous%20system%20takes
%20in,pain%20signals%20to%20your%20brain.
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/science/continuu
m/Pages/bodysystem.aspx#:~:text=These%20are%20the%20nervous%20system,signals%20that
%20pass%20between%20cells.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21201-endocrine-system
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/neuromuscular-system#:~:text=The%20motor%20neurons%20r
elease%20a,which%20makes%20the%20muscles%20move.
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/4-6-chapter-summary/#:~:text=Sensation
%20and%20perception%20work%20seamlessly,to%20help%20so%20many%20people.