PSYC 388 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Circadian Rhythm, Zeitgeber, Lightdark
17 Oct 2020
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Psyc 388 - lecture 5 - entrainment in humans. Though recognized that daily light-dark cycles are primary zeitgeber for entraining most animals & plants to local time, first systematic studies of humans in temporal isolation yielded results suggesting humans may be diff. Experiments conducted by aschoff & wever in 60s & 70s, using underground personnel bunkers & retrofitted as temporal isolation apartments for subjects to live in for weeks/months at a time. First studies confirmed humans have true circadian rhythms persisting in constant conditions & appear to confirm entrainment to daily ld cycle. However, subsequent experiments designed to determine whether ld cycles alone sufficient for entrainment yielded equivocal results. Experiments - conducted much like animal studies. Subjects free to move about in apartment & occupy themselves as they wished. Had no access to info about time of day & in typical experiment, contact w/ outside occurred at random times when subjects were spontaneously awake.
