More than you want to know.
I suggest you start with <http://SciTechDaily.com> and go down the 2nd
column until you reach the article on biological clocks
<wysiwyg://9/http://www.discover.com/july_99/featmind.html>
There you will find a recent article for the non-clock person on recent
findings on biological clocks. At the end of that article are four URLs
which are very good. The first one, Center for Biological Timing contains
a tutorial, and the last item item is a glossary.
With that glossary in hand I think you'll be able to straighten out your
problems with what you've been reading, e.g., endogenous rhythms are
detected during free running conditions, i.e., in the absence of
environmental (zeitgeber, entraining) cues; exogenous rhythms are
associated with rhythmic environmental cues, i.e, zeitgebers, entraining
agents.
Most endogenous (free running) rhythms are circadian, about a day. The
length of that "day" will vary from species to species. e.g., noctural vs.
diurnal, and on whether the tau (cycle length) is obtained during constant
darkness or constant light. If I recall crepuscular critters are really
out of whack, but it has been 25 years and I can't recall just how.
Any way try the Discover article and the URLs it gives and I think you'll
end up knowing more than you want or need to know.
Al
Al L. Cone, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair
Department of Psychology 701.252.3467 X 2604
Jamestown College
6019 College Lane [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jamestown, ND 58405
