Final answer:
The hormone associated with pair-bonding and moderating stress response is oxytocin, which helps in social bonding and has a calming effect during stressful situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hormone associated with pair-bonding and moderating the stress response is oxytocin. This hormone plays a crucial role in social bonding, sexual reproduction, childbirth, and post-birth bonding. It is often referred to as the "love hormone" because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially. The role of oxytocin extends into the formation of trust between people and facilitating social recognition.
As for the stress response, oxytocin interacts with the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the stress-induced effects of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. It helps moderate stress by reducing the anxiety and fear associated with the stress response and can promote a calming effect, contrasting the effects of cortisol, which is known as a stress hormone that provides a boost of energy in response to stress. Unlike oxytocin, cortisol can affect virtually every organ within the body and is secreted from the adrenal gland following activation by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).