Describe the pituitary gland, including its location, the hormones produced by this gland, and the effects of these hormones on the body and behavior when produced in normal or abnormal amounts; and explain the function of the pituitary gland as the "master gland" and how this gland is, in turn, influenced by a brain structure in the limbic system
What will be an ideal response?
Answer will include that the pituitary is a pea-sized globe hanging from the base of the brain. One of the pituitary's more important roles is to regulate growth. During childhood, the pituitary secretes a hormone that speeds body development. If too little growth hormone is released, a person may remain far smaller than average. If this condition is not treated, a child may be six to 12 inches shorter than age-mates. As adults, some will have hypopituitary dwarfism. Such individuals are perfectly proportioned, but tiny. Regular injections of growth hormone can raise a hypopituitary child's height by several inches, usually to the short side of average. Too much growth hormone produces gigantism (excessive bodily growth). Secretion of too much growth hormone late in the growth period causes acromegaly, a condition in which the arms, hands, feet, and facial bones become enlarged. Acromegaly produces prominent facial features, which some people have used as a basis for careers as character actors, wrestlers, and the like. Oxytocin, another important hormone released by the pituitary, plays a broad role in regulating many behaviors generally involved in happiness. These include pregnancy, parenthood, sexual activity, social bonding, trust, and even reducing stress reactions. The pituitary is often called the "master gland" because it influences other endocrine glands (especially the thyroid, adrenal glands, and ovaries or testes). These glands in turn regulate such bodily processes as metabolism, responses to stress, and reproduction. But the master has a master: The pituitary is directed by the hypothalamus, which lies directly above it. In this way, the hypothalamus can affect glands throughout the body and is the major link between the brain and hormones.
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African immigrants living in London neighborhoods were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia if they lived in a predominantly White neighborhood than if they lived in a primarily non-White neighborhood (Boydell et al., 2001). According to the text, what do these findings suggest?
a. ?Persons susceptible to schizophrenia experienced downward drift to these neighborhoods. b. ?Certain ethnicities are more biologically vulnerable to schizophrenia than others. c. ?The stress of social isolation due to minority status might contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. d. ?Persons may self-select neighborhoods in order to live among those similar to themselves.
Proactive interference ____ and retroactive interference ____ as we get older
a. ?increases; increases b. ?increases; decreases c. ?decreases; increases d. ?decreases; decreases
Which improvements does the child demonstrate as a result of advances in lateralization or
specialization of the left and right hemispheres occurring during the early childhood years? a. Communication, listening, and attention skills b. Large motor abilities, fine motor abilities, and cognitive abilities c. Memory, language, and categorization skills d. Playfulness, reading, balance
When people wish to make accurate judgments, but don't have the time or ability to analyze the evidence closely, they often rely on "shortcut" evidence. According to the text, shortcut evidence can be gathered from all of the following EXCEPT
A) strength of the arguments. B) credible communicators. C) others' responses. D) cognitively ready ideas.