Lesson 3.4.2

3.4.2 Biological rhythms (biological) Quiz: OCR Psychology, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.2, Biological rhythms (biological): 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Psychology (H567), Unit 3: Applied psychology (Component 03), written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What type of biological rhythm lasts for more than 24 hours?

    • Ultradian rhythm
    • Infradian rhythm
    • Circadian rhythm
    • Diurnal rhythm

  2. Which biological rhythm completes a full cycle in less than 24 hours?

    • Circadian rhythm
    • Circannual rhythm
    • Infradian rhythm
    • Ultradian rhythm

  3. Approximately how long is a normal human circadian sleep-wake cycle?

    • 12 hours
    • 7 days
    • 48 hours
    • 24 hours

  4. What is the primary endogenous pacemaker in the mammalian brain?

    • Suprachiasmatic nucleus
    • Hypothalamus
    • Pineal gland
    • Visual cortex

  5. Which brain structure secretes melatonin to promote sleep onset?

    • Thyroid gland
    • Pineal gland
    • Pituitary gland
    • Adrenal gland

  6. What term describes an external environmental cue that resets biological clocks?

    • Endogenous pacemaker
    • Homunculus
    • Neurotransmitter
    • Zeitgeber

  7. Which hormone levels peak during darkness to induce sleepiness?

    • Cortisol
    • Serotonin
    • Melatonin
    • Adrenaline

  8. What is the main endogenous pacemaker governing human body temperature rhythms?

    • Hippocampus
    • Amygdala
    • Cerebellum
    • Suprachiasmatic nucleus

  9. Sarah works night shifts and struggles to sleep during the day. What rhythm is disrupted?

    • Circadian rhythm
    • Seasonal rhythm
    • Ultradian rhythm
    • Infradian rhythm

  10. Mark experiences low mood every winter due to reduced daylight. What is this called?

    • Insomnia disorder
    • Circadian burnout
    • Ultradian fatigue
    • Seasonal affective disorder

  11. During a typical night, sleep stages repeat in cycles lasting approximately how long?

    • 4 hours
    • 12 hours
    • 30 minutes
    • 90 minutes

  12. Which light-sensitive retinal cells detect environmental light to reset the SCN?

    • Melanopsin ganglion cells
    • Rod photoreceptors
    • Bipolar cells
    • Cone photoreceptors

  13. If completely isolated from daylight, human circadian rhythms naturally drift to roughly what length?

    • 28 hours
    • 22 hours
    • 24 hours
    • 25 hours

  14. A research participant lives in a cave without clocks for a month. What is this study type?

    • Field experiment
    • Natural experiment
    • Free-running study
    • Cross-sectional study

  15. Siffre spent months underground testing his endogenous cycle. What was his primary finding?

    • Shorter cycle length
    • Unchanged 24-hour cycle
    • Complete rhythm loss
    • Longer cycle length

  16. What circadian phase causes core body temperature to reach its daily minimum?

    • Early morning
    • Late evening
    • Midnight
    • Midday

  17. Which endocrine gland is directly stimulated by the SCN via the sympathetic nervous system?

    • Pancreas
    • Thyroid gland
    • Adrenal cortex
    • Pineal gland

  18. Jet lag is caused by temporary mismatch between internal clocks and what factor?

    • Cabin temperature
    • New time zone
    • Oxygen levels
    • Air pressure

  19. Which human biological rhythm has a frequency of less than once every 24 hours?

    • Diurnal rhythm
    • Infradian rhythm
    • Ultradian rhythm
    • Circadian rhythm

  20. What term denotes the synchronisation of biological rhythms to external environmental cues?

    • Entrainment
    • Adaptation
    • Habituation
    • Sensitisation

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