Biologica Approach & circadian rhymths

Question 1

What problems can occur from jet lag and shift work ?

Answer 1

(3) poor attention , impaired reaction time & reasoning skills

Question 2

What happens when you have an intake of alcohol?

Answer 2

Decrease time taken to fall asleep & lessens amount of sleep

Question 3

Describe the SCN ?

Answer 3

-main endogenous pacemaker, neurones project from SCN to pineal gland which releases melatonin

Question 4

How to measure sleep ?

Answer 4

EEG-electroencephalogram-brain activity EOG-eye. EMG-muscle activity. ECG-heart

Question 5

What is endogenous pacemakers ?

Answer 5

Internal biological rhythms , SCN

Question 6

Describe the external factor light ? (Zeitgebers)

Answer 6

Light can be dectected through other areas of body not just eyes and can be a powerful zeitgeber

Question 7

What happens when you have an intake of nicotine ?

Answer 7

Addictive effect of nicotine means that smokers tend to wake in night craving cigarettes (30min-2hr)

Question 8

What happens when you have frequent shift patterns ?

Answer 8

Results in more negative effect , (5) - fatigue ,sleep ,memory loss , mood swings ,reduced productivity and low staff morale

Question 9

Examples of circadian rhythms ?

Answer 9

-sleep /wake cycle , appetite for food ,temp & hormone levels

Question 10

What are circadian Rythms ? What they do /purpose?

Answer 10

Body has a way of keeping track of time (circadian clock) , called circadian rhythms -body’s natural processes that vary over a 24 cycle

Question 11

Where is the hormone sleep released ?

Answer 11

The sleep hormone melatonin is released from the hypothalamus (SCN)

Question 12

What is sleep ?

Answer 12

Sleep can be defined as a state of reduced conscious awareness during which the body is less active and less responsive to the outside world

Question 13

What is the fourth stage of sleep ?

Answer 13

Sleep gets gradually deeper & delta waves become more common which dominate EEG readings only loud noise /shaking will wake u up (body temp & BP decreases)30 mins

Question 14

What is the second stage of sleep ?

Answer 14

-20 mins becomes less responsive however woken might not realise sleeping .sharp spikes of electrical activity called sleep spindles ,theta waves ,muscles relax , breathing heart rate drop

Question 15

What did Philips & danner 1995 find (smoking)?

Answer 15

That smokers are more likely than non smokers to report falling /staying trouble sleeping

Question 16

What is sleep influenced by?

Answer 16

Sleep is influenced by brain,hormones & light (3) external & internal factors

Question 17

What is siffre study 1975?

Answer 17

When people are deprived of zeitgebers they still maintain a clinical rythms extends 25hr ( external /internal unison)

Question 18

What did Campbell & Murphy 1998 find ?

Answer 18

They found that shining light on the back of knees could alter circadian rythms

Question 19

What did Luce & segel 1966 find ?

Answer 19

People who live in artic circle maintain a constant sleep pattern despite 6 months of constant darkness

Question 20

What is the third stage of sleep ?

Answer 20

15 mins - the EEG begins shoe delta waves & gradually increase very unresponsive to the environment & hard to wake up & body makes repairs

Question 21

What did Schwartz et al 1995 study ?

Answer 21

He studied basketball teams (w/e coast of America)? East coast teams who were playing on wc won more games than wc playing ec

Question 22

What was menaker et al 1978 study ?

Answer 22

Cut the SCN (brains internal clock) from a hamsters brain & found a disruption to hamsters circadian rhythms

Question 23

How would chemicals treat sleep circadian rythms ?

Answer 23

Mealtion supplments can help to reset the body clock

Question 24

What does biological approach believe ?

Answer 24

Biological approach believes is a result of systems I body 1) genes 2) biochemical imbalance & 3) neurotransmitters problems

Question 25

What are 3 examples of stimulants /depressants ?

Answer 25

1) alcohol 2) caffeine 3) nicotine

Question 26

Which zeitgebers is more powerful light of social factor ?

Answer 26

Social factor can override light as a powerful zeitgebers

Question 27

What happens when you go from east to west ?

Answer 27

When. You go from E-W? Your temp & metabolic rate is its peak making it difficult to sleep

Question 28

Describe exogenous zeitgebers?

Answer 28

External factors which affect our biological rhythms cues such as light or social factors, alcohol & caffeine

Question 29

What happens when you go from e-w & w-e ?

Answer 29

E-w- gain time & w-e- loose time

Question 30

How can light & food treat circadian rythms ?

Answer 30

Light = SCN is sensitive to light & food= fasting can alter biorhythms & therefore help counter tact jet lag

Question 31

What happens when you have a intake of caffeine ?

Answer 31

Little caffeine increases wakefulness & to much causes insomnia & anxiety & causes jitters & headaches & racing heart

Question 32

What is the 5 stage of sleep ?

Answer 32

Occurs at 90 mins , EEG- becomes very mixed in comparison to slower felt waves before , eyes be rapidly moving however body does not moves (paralysed )lasts about 10 mins & brain very active & increase heart Rate , breaking and bp & temp

Question 33

What is the 1st stage of sleep ?

Answer 33

Stage between wakefulness & sleep , your easily woken , hear noise & eyes are closen but occasionally flicker “ u are drifting off” & alpha waves , heart rate ,muscle tension & temp drop & may hallucinate be

Question 34

Strengths of biological approach ?

Answer 34

Individual differences- the BA approach has proved successful in showing that genetic factors play a role in explaining individuals are more likely than others to develop certain mental disorders.
Applications- the BA approach has proved valuable in terms of use of chemotherapy to treat mental disorders. In addition genetic counselling for prospective parents in an outcome of our understanding of the links between genes / behaviour - for example they carry a genetic susceptibility for a fatal disease - however genetic counselling raises many ethical probs in relation to the concept of designer babies

Question 35

Weaknesses of biological approach ?

Answer 35

Reductionism - the reductionist nature of the BA is over simplified in that we cant obtain a complete understanding of human behaviour by focusing on biological factors. For example various psychologist , social and culture factors influence the development of mental dissorders and these factors are ignored within BA.
Nature - nurture - the BA exaggerates the importance of genetic factors in determining factors while minimising the importance of environmental factors are more appropriate for some kinds of behaviour (vision) than other kinds of where higher order thinking is involed (emotional reasoning) biological explanations on their own are usually inadequate.