Endogenous Pacemakers And Exogenous Zeitgebers

Question 1

What are endogenous pacemakers

Answer 1

Mechanisms within the body that govern the internal, biological bodily rhythms

Question 2

What are exogenous zeitgebers

Answer 2

An environmental cue that helps to regulate the biological clock in an organism

Question 3

What are 2 examples of endogenous pacemakers

Answer 3

1. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
2. The pineal gland

Question 4

What are 2 examples of exogenous zeitgebers

Answer 4

1. Light
2. Social cues

Question 5

What is entrainment

Answer 5

When our biological clock is reset each day by cues in the environment (eg. The light cues of sunrise and sunset)

Question 6

State 2 studies which show support for the role of the SCN (endogenous pacemakers) on our circadian rhythms

Answer 6

1. Morgan (1995)- hamsters
2. DeCoursey at al. (2000)- chipmunks

Question 7

What study shows support for the role of social cues (exogenous zeitgebers) on our circadian rhythm

Answer 7

Klein and Wegmann (1974) - jetlag

Question 8

What study shows support for the role of light (exogenous zeitgebers) on our circadian rhythms

Answer 8

Campbell and Murphy (1998)- light exposure to back of knee

Question 9

What is a practical application of research into circadian rhythms

Answer 9

Shift workers and jetlag

Question 10

What is an issue with using animal studies

Answer 10

Makes it difficult to generalise onto humans as animals’ brains work very differently to ours