Unit III Essay

• Instructions

  Wade and Tavris explain that each person’s body experiences ups and downs throughout the typical day. In fact, biological rhythms, the fluctuations that occur in one’s biological system, dictate numerous factors within one’s body, including hormones, urine output, blood pressure, and our reactions to stimuli. Most of the time, our biological rhythms are in sync with the external environment, and they typically occur within a 24-hour cycle known as circadian rhythms. In this assignment, you will keep an hourly record of your mental alertness level for a minimum of three days using the following five-point scale:
  • 1–extremely drowsy or mentally lethargic
  • 2–somewhat drowsy or mentally lethargic
  • 3–moderately alert
  • 4–alert and efficient
  • 5–extremely alert and efficient
  At the end of your observation period, you should compose an essay that defines circadian rhythms and explains how one’s biological clock works. Additionally, you should describe what happens when it does not work properly. You must also address the following questions in your essay:
  • Did your level of alertness follow a certain pattern or circadian rhythm?
  • Did you reach a noticeable high and low point once every 24 hours, or did you have a shorter rhythm?
  • Did your level of alertness rise and fall numerous times throughout the day?
  • If you performed this activity on the weekend, were your cycles the same as during the week?
  Finally, think about how this experiment affects your life and your perception. What other factors influence your perception? To conclude your essay, you should discuss four psychological factors that could be used to explain how you perceived the world around you. Draw on the research from the textbook as you compose your essay. In addition to your textbook, you must use at least one other academic source. Your response should contain an introduction and conclusion and be at least one page in length, but it can be longer if necessary to address all aspects of the assignment. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.