infradian rhythms

Question 1

discussion: Russel study low control extraneous variables

Answer 1

field experiment so low control over EV, research took place in ppt natural environment, other exogenous factors such as light, diet changes and stress could also have affected infradian rhythm, difficult to establish cause and effect between influence of pheromones on maintaining IR, weakens extent to which research can contradict importance of EP on maintaining IR

Question 2

weakness: RTC Russel

Answer 2

sample of women to wear cotton pads under arm, pads then rubbed on upper lip of 5 sexually inactive women, process repeated daily for 5 months, found 4/5 women developed menstrual cycles that synchronized to within one day of the donor cycle, shows infradian rhythm of menstrual cycle affected by exogenous zeitgebers as well as controlled by EPs, may influence length of infradian rhythm, reduces validity of role of EP in regulating IR and emphasizes importance of an interaction with EZ

Question 3

strength: evolutionary psychologists

Answer 3

role of EZ such as pheromones explained through evolution, advantageous in past for social group to synchronize pregnancies so many women breastfeeding at same time, one mother could take over caring for an orphaned child, EZ play important role in maintaining IR to enhance survival chances as evolution would predict, showing importance of interaction of EP and EZ in IR