Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Circadian Rhythm, Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Pineal Gland

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

Tell me the color of the words. Tell me the color of shapes: hard because automatic processes out of our consciousness. Daily cycles: blood pressure, body temperature, chemical concentrations. 25-hour clock : peak levels in late afternoon (best time for physical tasks, suprachiasmatic nucleus. Daylight stimulates the scn, which inhibits the production of melatonin in pineal gland. Melanopsin is greatly affected by blue light: breaks down photosensitive ganglion cells so no melatonin is synthesized darkness removes the inhibition, resulting in more melatonin so we feel tired. Disturbances: stimulates the production of melatonin jet lag & shift work phase advance more difficult than phase delay (i. e. flying from vancouver to halifax is more problematic than east to west) solution, take melatonin, jury still out . More effective for phase delay than phase advance. Awareness of the relationship between self and the external world.