Why is it often difficult to lose weight?
What will be an ideal response?
In effect, people who gain or lose weight will experience metabolic changes that strive to bring the body back to its natural weight. If fat levels decrease below our body's normal range, the brain (specifically, the hypothalamus) compensates by slowing metabolism. We begin to feel lethargic, we increase our sleep, and our body temperature decreases slightly to conserve energy (which is why many persons with anorexia complain of being cold). In this state of relative deprivation, uncontrollable urges to binge are common because our bodies are telling us that they need more food than they are getting to function properly. Similarly, the body fights against weight gain by increasing metabolism and raising body temperature in an effort to burn off extra calories. (Admittedly, this valiant effort is seldom enough to conquer the force of holidays and other feasts.) Because of its responsivity to change, researchers often compare the body's setpoint to the setting on a thermostat that regulates room temperature. When room temperature falls below a certain range, the thermostat automatically sends a signal to the heating system to increase the heat level until it again reaches the established temperature setting. Human bodies respond similarly to deviations in body weight by turning their metabolic "furnace" up or down (Wilkin, 2010).
You might also like to view...
Which of these research methods would a psychologist be likely to employ to study the influence of genetics on personality?
A) examining correlations in personality between pairs of identical and fraternal twins B) interviewing people who have known others who were particularly odd or unique C) administering paper and pencil or computerized questionnaires to hundreds of people D) documenting the patterns of development and difficulties of psychiatric patients
Provide an example of something you do primarily because of intrinsic motivation
What will be an ideal response?
In a study by Eimas and colleagues (1971), young infants were presented with an auditory stimulus from the ba/pa continuum over and over again until they decreased the rate at which they sucked on a pacifier
Then, infants were presented with a novel auditory stimulus that differed in VOT from the original auditory stimulus by a fixed amount. When the novel stimulus was on a different side of the ba/pa category boundary than the original stimulus, infants' sucking rate ___, when the novel stimulus was within the same category as the original stimulus, infants' sucking rate ___. a. remained constant, remained constant b. decreased, increased c. increased, decreased d. increased, remained constant
Joel has practiced his difficult violin solo over and over before his performance. He has played it perfectly in his practice room. However, when he performs in public, he makes mistakes due to his anxiety. Joel is a victim of __________.
A. performance-in-public syndrome B. social impairment C. social facilitation D. social loafing