PSYA3 Essay question plans

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  • Created by: naomi33
  • Created on: 07-06-16 15:17

Discuss research into circadian rhythms (8+16 mark

A01: Michael Siffre - Cave man. Lived in a cave to study his own biological rhythms. 

Aschoff and Wever (1976) - placed participants in underground bunker. 

Folkard et al - volutneers lived in a cave with a clock that sped up gradually. 

Miles et al - blind man 24.9 hour circadian rhythm needed medication to keep up. 

A02: Participants were not isolated from artificial light which raises questions on the effect of articifical light on the circadian rhythm. Czeisler et al altered participants circadian rhythms down the 22 hours and up to 28 hours using just dim lighting. 

Individual differences in cycle length. Czeisler found it can vary from 13 hours to 65 hours in different people. Cycle onset also varies, Duffy found that morning people prefer to rise early and go to bed early whereas evening people like to go to bed later and wake up later. 

Siffres study were based on one unique individual and lack generlisablity, it does however demonstrate a casual relationship between extrenal cues and sleep wake cycle.

Miles et al study also case study on one individual so not generalisable. 

IDA: Chronotheraputics - application of biological rhythms to the treatment of medical disorders.

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