Circadian Relations among Level of Activation, Conflict, and Body Temperature Assessed by Chronobiologic Serial Section

Abstract

One couple who had been living together for 2 yr. indicated level of activation and interpersonal conflict on self-report measures six times per day for a period of 35 days. Body temperatures were recorded rectally at a sampling interval of 2 min. throughout the 24-hour period by means of the Vitalog Thermolog-2 ambulatory monitor. The activation and conflict scales each consisted of three factors: general activation, deactivation sleep, and high activation and interaction need conflict, emotional need conflict and sexual need conflict. Rhythmometric analyses provided descriptive parameters of peak time (acrophase), over-all mean (mesor), and degree of excursion of the wave of the rhythm (amplitude) for each variable. Significant circadian rhythms in activation and temperature were noted for both partners and in the emotional component of conflict for the man. The general activation data indicated that the man was more of a morning person than the woman who was evening-oriented. Correlations between the activation and conflict factor scores varied in significance between partners. A significant relation was noted for the man between a decline in general activation and a decrease in interaction need conflict in the early and late parts of the day. For the woman, a decrease in the deactivation sleep state, occurring at mid-day, was related to an increase in both emotional and interaction need conflict.