Infradian Rhythms

Question 0

Russell et al: Pheromones (sweat)

Answer 0

• Empirical support for the role of pheromones as EZ
• Russell et al collected daily samples of women’s underarm sweat. -Rubbed on the lips of other women; the women’s menstrual cycles became synchronised with their individual odour donor
• Presumably because of the pheromones in the sweat.

Question 1

Menstrual cycle

Answer 1

• Infradian rhythms repeat less than once every 24 hours
• exemplified in the human menstrual cycle; controlled by oestrogen and progesterone secretion (endogenous pacemakers).
• However menstrual cycle also affected by EZ i.e smell.
• McClintock found females who live together and do not take oral contraceptives tend to menstruate the same time every month.
• May be due to release of pheromones; act as chemical messenger to coordinate synchronisation.

Question 2

Jacobs: replicated S (MILK)

Answer 2

• Jacobs replicated these findings
• Found the menstrual cycle could be influenced by exposure to pads from the nursing bras of breastfeeding mothers.
• Due to T-RR of the findings, studies provide ^EE for EZ in entrainment of menstrual cycle.

Question 3

Determinism: PMS

Answer 3

• Irrefutable scientific evidence that MC determined by hormones to prepare the body for pregnancy.
• Consequence of the menstrual cycle is PMS
• Used as defence in legal cases as mental disorder to deny responsibility for ones actions.
• Moral implications; women do not have free will over their pre-menstrual behaviour

Question 4

Women’s basketball

Answer 4

-Conflicting evidence: MC not synchronised by proximity
-Longitudinal study on a women’s basketball team
-No correlation found between menstrual patterns.
-// known that exercise, dieting & stress affect the MC thus findings
of this research should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Question 5

Yang and Schank: Chinese women

Answer 5

• Found no evidence beyond chance that women synchronise their cycles when studying 186 Chinese university students
• thus perception synchrony due to inevitable variation of MC.
• Findings suggest that EZ have little/no effect on females infradian rhythms.