Skip to main content

The Measurement of Circadian Rhythms in Psychological Functions

  • Chapter
Chronobiotechnology and Chronobiological Engineering

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSE,volume 120))

Abstract

There is now a wealth of physiological evidence that man’s internal body chemistry changes predictably as a function of time of day. It is thus hardly surprising that there are equivalent predictable changes in his mood and performance efficiency, and it is to these psychological circadian rhythms that the present chapter is primarily addressed. In particular, it will be concerned with circadian performance rhythms, the history of their study, the methodological problems connected with measuring them, the forms of rhythms usually found, and the arousal model conventionally used to explain them. A final section is then concerned with some of the practicalities of measuring psychological rhythms, and the direction in which future developments might be expected to lead.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bergstrum FG: An experimental study of some of the conditions of mental activity. American Journal of Psychology, 6, 1894.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Blake MJF: Time of day effects on performance in a range of tasks. Psychonomic Science, 9, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Borbely AA: A two process model of sleep regulation. Human Neurobiology, 1, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Colquhoun WP: Circadian variations in mental efficiency. Biological Rhythms and Human Performance. London: Academic Press, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dressler FB: Some influences which affect the rapidity of voluntary mnovements. American Journal of Psychology, 4, 1892.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Folkard S: Diurnal variation in logical reasoning. British Journal of Psychology, 66, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Folkard S: Diurnal variation. Stress and Fatigue in Human Performance. Chichester: Wiley, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Folkard S, Hume KI, Minors DS, Waterhouse JM & Watson FL: Independence of the circadian rhythm in alertness from the sleep/wake cycle. Nature, 313, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Folkard S, Knauth P, Monk TH & Rutenfranz J: The effect of memory load on the circadian variation in performance efficiency under a rapidly rotating shift system. Ergonomics, 19, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Folkard S & Monk TH: Time of day and processing strategy in free recall. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 31, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Folkard S & Monk TH: Circadian rhythms in human memory. British Journal of Psychology, 71, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Folkard S, Wever RA & Wildgruber CM: Multioscillatory control of circadian rhythms in human performance. Nature, 305, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Freeman GL & Hovland CI: Diurnal variations in performance and related physiological processes. Psychological Bulletin, 31, 1934.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Froberg, JE: Twenty-four-hour patterns in human performance, subjective and physiological variables and differences between morning and evening active subjects. Biological Psychology, 5, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gates, AI: Diurnal variations in memory and association. University of California Publications in Psychology, 1, 1916a.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gates AI: Variations in efficiency during the day, together with practice effects, sex differences, and correlations. University of California Publications in Psychology, d 2, 1916b.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Halberg F: More on educative chronobiology, health and the computer. International Journal of Chronobiology, 2, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kleitman N: (Revised and enlarged 1963) Sleep and Wakefulness. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1939.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Laird DA: Relative performance of college students as conditioned by time of day and day of week. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 8, 1925.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Lombard WP: The variations of the normal knee jerk, and their relation to the activity of the central nervous system. American Journal of Psychology, 1, 1887.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Marks M & Folkard S: Diurnal rhythms in cognitive performance. Psychology Survey 5. Leicester: British Psychological Society, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Michelson M: Ueuber die Tiefe des Schlafes. Psychol. Arbeiten, 2, 1897.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Monk H & Folkard S: Shiftwork and Performance. Hours of Work: Temporal Factors in Work Scheduling. Chichester: Wiley & Sons Ltd, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Monk TH, Weitzman ED, Fookson JE, Moline ML, Kronauer RE & Gander PH: Task variables determine which biological clock controls circadian rhythms in human performance. Nature, 304, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Rutenfranz J, Aschoff J & Mann H: The effects of a cumulative sleep deficit, duration of preceding sleep period and body temperature on multiple choice reaction time. Aspects of Human Efficiency: Diurnal Rhythm and Loss of Sleep. London: English Universities Press, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Thorndike E: Mental fatigue. Psychological Review, 7, 1900.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Winch WH: Mental fatigue in day school children as measured by immediate memory, Part I. Journal of Educational Psychology, 3, 1912a.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Winch WH: Mental fatigue in day school children as measured by immediate memory, Part II. Journal of Educational Psychology, 3, 1912b.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wilkinson RT & Houghton D: Field test of arousal: a portable reaction timer with data storage. Human Factors, 24, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Folkard, S., Monk, T.H. (1987). The Measurement of Circadian Rhythms in Psychological Functions. In: Scheving, L.E., Halberg, F., Ehret, C.F. (eds) Chronobiotechnology and Chronobiological Engineering. NATO ASI Series, vol 120. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3547-1_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3547-1_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8086-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3547-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics