What term describes the process in which a stimulus produces a response that opposes the original stimulus?

The process in which a stimulus produces a response that opposes the original stimulus is known as negative feedback. This mechanism is crucial in maintaining homeostasis within biological systems. For instance, when blood glucose levels rise after eating, the body responds by secreting insulin, which lowers glucose levels by facilitating cellular uptake. This regulation illustrates how negative feedback serves to bring the system back to a set point, promoting stability and balance.

In contrast, positive feedback amplifies the response rather than opposing it. For example, during childbirth, the release of oxytocin increases contractions, which then prompts further oxytocin release, thus creating an escalating effect until delivery occurs.

Homeostasis refers to the overall process of maintaining stable internal conditions, which often involves negative feedback mechanisms, but it is not the term that specifically describes the opposing response to a stimulus.

The stimulus-response mechanism describes the general concept of how organisms respond to stimuli but does not specify whether that response opposes or enhances the initial stimulus. Therefore, the answer that best fits the description of a response that counteracts the original stimulus is negative feedback.