S - Evolutionary Explanation

Question 1

What does the theory of evolution argue about sleep?

Answer 1

Behaviour evolves if it has a selective advantage for the animal (adaptive)
Sleep has a selective advantage
Different animals have different selective pressures and hence evolve different behaviours to aid their survival

Question 2

What is the Energy Conservation Theory? (Hibernation)

Answer 2

Sleep is related to the availability of food

Sleep conserves energy

Question 3

What is the Predation Theory?

Answer 3

Sleep is related to risk

No risk of predation means an animal sleeps more

Question 4

What is the Threat Simulation Theory?

Answer 4

Dreams during REM help us to practice actions that help us survive

Question 5

What did Lee and Martin find?

Answer 5

Koala’s sleep for 19 hours a day, their diet i mainly eucalyptus leaves which have a low nutritional value - this supports energy conservation and predation (sleep high up in trees = no risk)

Question 6

What did Allison and Cicchetti find?

Answer 6

Predators sleep more and animals that sleep in burrows are safer so sleep more - this supports predation theory

Question 7

What did Gregor find?

Answer 7

60% of dreams contained a threat - this supports threat simulation theory

Question 8

What is wrong with this explanation?

Answer 8

Unfalsifiable - cannot prove incorrect so is unscientific - energy conservation theory - more sleep could be adaptive?

Question 9

Compare this explanation to restoration

Answer 9

Could rest/hide to be safer/use less energy, evolutionary = waste of time (Epsom)