applied social psychology: shift work Flashcards
someone who starts or ends work outside of daytime hours =
shift worker
continuous shift system =
operates 24hr, 7 days a week
semi continuous shift system =
stops at weekends
discontinuous shift system =
stops during 24hr and at weeks
workers change from one shift to another e.g. day shift and night shift = what type of shift system?
rotating
workers work one type of shift = what type of shift system?
permanent
what are some of the organisational reasons for shift work?
maintains essential public services, sustain continual production processes, obtain return on investment in machinery, increased demand for extended serves, changing patterns of work
according to a US survey what were the most common reasons for working shifts?
nature of job, personal preference, better family/child care arrangements, better pay
what did night workers most commonly report as they reason?
personal preference (22%)
humans evolved as a diurnal species due to their ______ _______
circadian rhythms
what body rhythms peak at different times of the day and normally higher in the day than night?
body temp, urinary electrolytes, memory, alertness
what type of work disturbs the body circadian rhythms?
night work and early morning work
what are at least 2 of the processes that make up the circadian system?
strong endogenous body clock component, weaker exogenous component
what part of the brain regulates the body clock?
suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus
what causes a mismatch between circadian rhythm and activity?
night work
rhythms adjust at different rates to night shift pattern producing internal dissociation =
shift lag
what is the difference in jet lag and shift lag?
unlike jet lag, may never fully adjust to nocturnal routine because cues are diurnal. rhythms shown to adjust more quickly back to diurnal routine on days off
how is shift workers sleep affected?
sleep disturbance > sleep of short duration and poor quality
what does the body clock influence on sleep?
ease of falling asleep and duration of sleep