Circadian Rhythms: Biological Rhythms

• strength?

  it provides an understanding in real world situations.
• EV strength?

  People who work over night and engage in shift work experience a period of inability to concentrate at around 6am meaning an increase in mistakes and accidents. Research has also found a correlation between shift work and poor health, as they have disrupted sleep/wake cycles.
• EX strength?

  This is a strength because research into circadian rhythms and the sleep/wake cycle has real-world economic implications on how to best manage worker productivity. This therefore increases usefulness of circadian rhythms as it allows us to understand its importance for our body increasing better health.
• CA strength?

  However, studies investigating shift work tend to use correlational methods which means it is difficult to establish whether disruption of the sleep/wake cycle is actually a cause of the negative effects, as correlation is not causation. This reduces the credibility of the research into circadian rhythms.
• CON strength?

  Despite this, correlations allows us to better understand the influence of circadian rhythms such as circadian rhythms and what the importance they hold on our health. This increases the ecological validity of circadian rhythms.
• limitation Siffres experiment?

  it is idiographic and a case study
• EV limitation Siffres experiment?


  This is because the experiment involved one participant, meaning it cannot be generalised beyond Siffre and his experiment
• EX limitation Siffres experiment?

  This is a weakness because it suggests that the idiographic research conducted into circadian rhythms cannot be generalised as it is often idiographic and on small sample sizes. This therefore reduces the usefulness of research into circadian rhythms.
• CA limitation Siffres experiment?

  However, some psychologists may argue that ideographic research allows for emergent themes to be uncovered and generalisations to be created as a cause and effect conclusion was observed from Siffre's experiment. This increases the credibility of research into circadian rhythms.
• CON limitation Siffres experiment?

  Despite this, the use of idiographic data in research into biological rhythms means it is ungeneralisable beyond just Siffre's own sleep/wake cycle. This therefore decreases the internal validity of circadian rhythms.
• 2nd strength?

  it has been used to improve medical treatments.
• EV 2nd strength?

  For example, research into biological rhythms has allowed us to understand that aspirin taken at night is most effective for heart attacks, as they are more likely to occur in the morning, so timing matters.
• EX 2nd strength?

  This is a strength as it means medical treatments can be administered in a way that corresponds to a person’s biological rhythms therefore increasing the likelihood of the treatment working long term. This increases the usefulness of research into circadian rhythms.
• CA 2nd strength?

  However, everyone’s circadian rhythms vary depending on their sleep schedule for example for people who work night shifts so timed administration of treatments are not generalisable to everyone. This decreases the credibility of the research for circadian rhythms.
• CON 2nd strength?

  Despite this, this type of biological rhythm has helped to increase the administration of a drug that works best at certain times. This therefore increases the ecological validity of circadian rhythms.