ABSTRACT
Research in circadian physiology is, of course, conducted according to the scientic method. But what is the scientic method and why should it be used? Answering this question is the rst step in the study of research methods. The answer is particularly important for academic scientists and university students in the United States in the early twenty-rst century. These individuals will most likely be confronted with a philosophical movement referred to as constructivism, which is presented as a facet of postmodernism and is often associated with various versions of feminism. As pointed out by concerned scholars, this philosophical movement poses a threat to the progress of science and the preservation of social order.1-3 Thus, awareness of the constructivist movement may be necessary for the advancement of scientic research, including research in circadian physiology. Because the term constructivism has been used in many different contexts with many different connotations,4-7 we must have a closer look at the issue.
