Sie sind auf Seite 1von 3

PMT

Psychology Factsheets
www.curriculum-press.co.uk Number 144

Evolutionary explanations of sleep


This Factsheet outlines the main evolutionary explanations of sleep and provides guidelines on commentary. The factsheet includes
examiner comments and the worksheet gives you the opportunity to apply what you have learned to exam style questions. Words in bold
are explained in the glossary.

The examiner will expect you to be able to:


• Demonstrate an understanding of the assumptions of evolutionary theory
• Provide evolutionary explanations of sleep
• Critically evaluate evolutionary explanations of sleep

Examiner comment: Candidates must be able to demonstrate their understanding of evolutionary theory by applying it to sleep.
Exam answers that do not relate to sleep in particular will not be credit worthy.

A. Introduction
Evolutionary psychology is based on two main assumptions about human behaviour:
1. Behaviours have survived because they infer an advantage in terms of survival
2. Behaviours have survived because they infer an advantage in terms of reproductive success.

Evolutionary psychology therefore assumes that sleep is an adaptive trait in humans that aids survival and reproductive success. You
should note that while the different evolutionary explanations of sleep have been separated here, there is considerable overlap between
them. A good way of ensuring higher grades is to ‘pull theories apart’ as demonstrated in this factsheet.

B . Energy conservation theory of sleep


Specific explanations of sleep within the evolutionary approach to psychology include the theory of energy
conservation and the predation hypothesis. Human and non-human animals have evolved so that they can
survive for long periods of time without food. Sleep conserves energy, because it is a time of inactivity where food
is not consumed. It also slows down metabolic rate which conserves energy. Sleep therefore allows the body to
recuperate, restore itself and grow without expending too much energy. In turn, the less energy is used up, the less
energy is required. This would be beneficial when food is scarce.

C. Restoration theory of sleep


Sleep allows time for physiological repair and growth in the cells and tissues of the body. It is also important for
growth and repair to neurological tissues in the brain. Without enough sleep, neither our body nor our brain would
function effectively. There is a wealth of research evidence to support the restorative nature of sleep.
For example, studies of non-human animals demonstrate the effect of sleep on wound healing (Gumustekin et al,
2004) and the immune system (Zager et al, 2007). Studies also show that short wave sleep (SWS) affects metabolic
rate and the secretion of growth hormone.
Sleep is essential for
Examiner comment: Evaluation of methodological issues in research must be made explicit to the question growth
in order to achieve credit. For example, issues relating to the use of non-human animals should be related to
humans in order to be relevant and credit worthy.

D. Predation hypothesis
Periods of sleep also aid survival by keeping individuals safe from predators. Evidence for the predation
hypothesis comes from non-human animals. For example, most infant mammals sleep for long periods of time
and wake for regular feeding. Many are fed during waking and protected during sleep by their parents.
However, newborn killer whales and dolphins do not sleep for the first month of life in order to hunt for food
and they must therefore be vigilant. This hypothesis suggests that predators would require relatively
shorter amounts of sleep than prey, which is mostly supported by evidence.

‘The lion and the lamb shall lie down together but the lamb will not be very sleepy!’

Examiner comment: Candidates who link evidence from studies of non-human animals directly to evolutionary explanations of
sleep and demonstrate a sound analysis, understanding and interpretation will achieve the most effective answers in the higher
band bracket.

1
PMT

144 - Evolutionary explanations of sleep Psychology Factsheet

E. Hibernation theory
This theory considers both the energy conservation and predation theories of sleep. It compares sleep to a period of hibernation when
animals sleep because food is scarce. In the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA), it would have been unsafe and unproductive
to forage for food during darkness. Sleeping therefore made sense because it conserved energy and ensured safety and survival.

F. Critical evaluation
Examiner comment: When evaluating evolutionary explanations of sleep, candidates could use a broad approach of generic
criticisms of evolutionary theory, and/or specific criticisms of particular evolutionary hypotheses. Both are credit worthy so long as
they are applied to explanations of sleep.

Generic criticism: strengths (+) and weaknesses (-)


• Evolutionary explanations of sleep are based in the EEA which was very different to the modern
environment (-)
• The genome lag suggests that our environment has evolved at a faster rate than our genes so
that our behaviours are more fitting to the EEA than modern life (-)
• Evolutionary theory provides ultimate explanations of behaviour which explain why behaviour
was adaptive in the EEA, rather than in the modern world (-)
• Evolutionary theory cannot explain the complexity of sleep, including the purpose of the different
stages of sleep (-)
Specific criticism Sleeping lions
• Energy conservation theories may be more relevant to the EEA when food was in short supply (-)
• Evidence from human and non-human research supports the restorative nature of sleep (+)
• Predation theories may be more relevant to non-human animals (-)
• Sleeping animals may actually be more at risk from predators than ones who are awake (-)
• Lions are natural predators yet spend much of the day and night asleep, up to 22 hours! (-)
• Research suggests that metabolic rate drops by about 10% in humans during sleep. Body temperature also drops (+)

Glossary
Energy conservation: Sleep is a period of inactivity which expends less energy and therefore conserves energy supplies

Environment of evolutionary adaptedness (EEA): A historical time and place to which all species are adapted.

Genome lag: Hypothesis that the evolution of human genes lags behind the evolution of our environment.

Hibernation theory: Compares sleep to a period of hibernation which conserves energy and avoids predation.

Predation hypothesis: Sleep keeps prey safe from predators.

Ultimate explanation: Theory that psychological adaptations are specialised for the environment in which an organism evolved (the
EEA).

Acknowledgements: This Psychology Factsheet was researched and written by Jeanine Connor.
The Curriculum Press, Bank House, 105 King Street, Wellington, Shropshire, TF1 1NU.
Psychology Factsheets may be copied free of charge by teaching staff or students, provided that their school is a registered subscriber. No part of these
Factsheets may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any other form or by any other means, without the prior permission of the
publisher. ISSN 1351-5136
2
PMT

144 - Evolutionary explanations of sleep Psychology Factsheet

Worksheet: Evolutionary explanations of sleep


Name
1. What is meant by the term ultimate explanation?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Outline the restoration theory of sleep with reference to research evidence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Why has sleep been compared to hibernation?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Critically evaluate the predation hypothesis of sleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. What is meant by the term ‘genome lag’ and how does it relate to evolutionary explanations of sleep?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen