This example gives us two feedback loops and asks us to identify them as either positive or negative feedback. So let's take a look. First up, we have oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates labor contractions. Labor contractions force the head of the baby downward, resulting in pressure on the cervix. Pressure on the cervix is a signal to the pituitary gland to release more oxytocin.
Alright. Give yourself a second. Does that sound more like positive feedback or negative feedback? Well, our original stimulus is oxytocin. That causes labor contractions, which is pressure on the cervix, which is a signal to release more oxytocin.
This oxytocin is going to increase labor contractions, increase pressure on the cervix, which is going to increase oxytocin release. Right? So we're getting more and more. We are moving further away from the starting point. So that, to me, sounds like positive feedback.
Next, we have the process when body temperature rises, causing the skin to produce sweat. The evaporation of sweat will cool the body. If body temperature falls, the body will shiver. The action of shivering generates heat to warm the body. Now, think about that one for a second.
Okay. Sweat cools the body when you're too hot. So the temperature goes up, sweat cools the body, it pushes back against the original stimulus. Shivering warms the body when the temperature falls. Shivering is going to push back against the original stimulus.
When you're pushing back against the stimulus towards the starting point, that is going to be negative feedback. We are going to go into more detail on both of these specific feedback loops in future videos. I'll see you there.