Lecture notes Biopsychology - Evaluation on Ultradian and Infradian Rhythms
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Course
Biopsychology
Institution
AQA
Breakdown information and notes on Evaluation on Ultradian and Infradian Rhythms
AO3 - notes enabling ability to answer all types of questions. All studies required to evaluate exam style questions.
methodological limitations in synchronisation stud
evidence support the idea of distinct stages in sl
practical application sad
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A/AS Level
AQA
Psychology A
Biopsychology
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Evaluation on Ultradian and Infradian Rhythms
MAIN EVALUATION:
EVOLUTIONARY BASIS OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE -
❏ Menstrual synchrony observed in McClintock’s study is thought to have evolutionary value
❏ Female Ancestors where it may have been advantageous to menstruate together and fall
pregnant around the same time
❏ So that new-borns can be cared together within a social group increasing chances of
offspring survival
❏ Validity of evolutionary perspective has been questioned. Jeffrey Schank (2004) argued that
if too many females cycle together in a social group, it would produce competition for the
highest quality of males (lowering fitness of any potential offspring)
❏ His point is that avoidance synchrony would be the most adaptive evolutionary strategy and
natural selection can occur.
METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS IN SYNCHRONISATION STUDIES -
❏ Criticisms at early synchrony studies.
❏ Commentators argued factors e.g. stress, change in diet, exercise etc. may affect change in
women’ s menstrual cycle therefore be a confounding variable
❏ Patterns in synchrony in McClintock’s study were expected to occur by chance
❏ Also involves small samples of women & relies of participants self-reporting onset of their
own cycle
❏ Trevathan et al . 1993 failed to find evidence of menstrual synchrony in all female-samples
EVIDENCE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF DISTINCT STAGES IN SLEEP -
❏ Landmark study - William Dement & Nathaniel Keitman (1957) monitored sleep patterns of
9 adult participants in sleep lab
❏ Brainwave activity was recorded on a EEG and the researchers controlled for the effects of
caffeine and alcohol
❏ REM activity during sleep was highly correlated with experience of dream . brain activity
carried according to how vivid dreams were and participants woken during dreaming
reported very accurate recall of their dreams
❏ Replications showed similar findings but with small size of the original sample have been
criticized by some.
❏ This study suggests that REM (dream) sleep is important component of the ultradian sleep
cycle
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