ENV Topic 2 Flashcards
What are circadian rhythms?
Bodily functions that fluctuate according to a daily cycle.
What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)?
The internal clock of the body that controls our rhythms.
What hormone does the pineal gland release?
Melatonin.
What did Siffre’s cave study show?
Humans have an internal body clock that is independent of the natural day/night cycle.
What did Preckel et al. (2013) find about chronotypes and grades?
Being an owl was a negative predictor of GPA.
What happened to Peter Tripp when he stayed awake for 201 hours?
He became abusive and hallucinated.
What is phase delay in relation to jet lag?
Holding back sleep
What is phase advance in relation to jet lag?
Bringing forward sleep
What are some effects of shift work?
Sleep deprivation
What was the aim of Czeisler et al. (1982) study?
To investigate the effects of circadian rhythms on work schedules.
How many participants were in Czeisler et al. (1982) study?
85 rotating shift workers and 68 non-rotating shift workers.
What type of shifts were the workers initially using?
Phase advancing shifts every 7 days.
What problems did workers report on the initial shift pattern?
Insomnia
What intervention did Czeisler et al. introduce?
Phase delay schedules with 7 and 21 day rotations.
What were the results after 3 months?
More workers preferred phase delay
What were the results after 9 months?
Staff turnover decreased
What was the conclusion of Czeisler et al. (1982) study?
Phase delay with extended intervals is most compatible with circadian rhythms.
