Evidence for two asynchronous circadian systems of emotionality: Theoretical aspects in comparative psychology

Journal/Book: J Gen Psychol. 1995; 122: 1319 Eighteenth St NW, Washington, DC 20036-1802. Heldref Publications. 401-424.

Abstract: This theoretical article is devoted to the chronobiological and chronopsychological foundations of emotion. Circadian fluctuations of experimentally induced emotionality have been reported from murine models (Poirel, 1982). Further research into rhythmometric investigations revealed that the temporal organization of emotional life expressed two oscillatory circadian systems. The circadian fluctuations that were rhythmometrically detected and compared expressed a noticeable phase concordance between the temporal periodicities related to vigilance and to indicators of basic emotionality. In contrast, the rhythmometric data for behavioral responses of emotionality displayed a marked phase displacement of the psychological circadian patterns and tended to manifest a functional dissociation between behavioral and visceral modalities of reactional events. Such experiments provide a quantitative approach for a better functional understanding of cerebral mechanisms regulating the time of the occurrence of stress-related events and make it possible to take into consideration the development of new heuristic concepts in psychology and comparative chronobiology. More specifically, the chronopsychological organization of emotional life with its two asynchronous components, as well as the multimodal oscillations that we have proposed, opens the discussion to new concepts of order by fluctuation and the consideration of chaotic systems governing psychological events of emotionality.

Note: Article C Poirel, Horizon Tower, 1212 Pine Ave W, Montreal, Pq H3G 1A9, Canada

Keyword(s): MICE

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