circadian rhythms

Question 1

circadian rhythm

Answer 1

a type of biological rhythm that is subject to a 24 hour cycle which regulates a number of bodily processes
e.g. the sleep/wake cycle

Question 2

Aschoff and Wever’s study

Answer 2

• convinced 55 pps to spend 4 weeks in a WW2 bunker deprived of natural light
• all but one of the pps displayed a circadian rhythm of between 24 and 25 hours
• both this and Siffre’s experience show that the natural sleep/wake cycle may be slightly longer than 24 hours but that it is entrained by exogenous zeitgebers associated with our 24 hour day

Question 3

evaluation: practical application to shift work

Answer 3

• given researchers better knowledge of the adverse consequences that can occur if circadian rhythms are interrupted
• night workers engaged in shift work experienced a period of reduced concentration around 6am meaning mistakes were more likely
• research into the sleep/wake cycle may have economic implications in terms of how to best manage work productivity

Question 4

evaluation: practical application to drug treatments

Answer 4

• circadian rhythms co-ordinate a number of processes such as hormone levels
• this has an effect on pharmacokinetics (the action of drugs on the body and how they are absorbed)
• research into circadian rhythms has revealed that there are certain peak times during the day or night where drugs will be most effective
• led to the development of guidelines to do with the advised times of drug dosing

Question 5

evaluation: use of small samples

Answer 5

• Aschoff and Wever used a relatively small sample of 55 people
• not representative of the wider population which limits the generalisations that can be made