BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MICROWAVE RADIATION
Don R. Justesen · 1979
Early scientific research from 1979 established that microwave radiation's effects on behavior and psychology warranted serious investigation.
Plain English Summary
This 1979 research review examined how microwave radiation affects behavior and psychological functioning in living organisms. The study represents early scientific investigation into whether microwave exposure could alter brain function, mood, or behavioral patterns. This research was conducted during the Cold War era when concerns about microwave weapons and occupational exposure were emerging.
Why This Matters
This 1979 review by Dr. Justesen represents a critical early examination of microwave radiation's effects on the nervous system, published at a time when microwave technology was rapidly expanding in military and civilian applications. The timing is significant because it predates our current wireless world by decades, yet addresses fundamental questions we're still grappling with today about EMF's impact on brain function and behavior.
What makes this research particularly relevant is that it emerged from legitimate scientific concern about microwave exposure effects, not from industry pressure to prove safety. The behavioral and psychological effects examined in this review likely included cognitive performance, mood changes, and neurological responses that we now see echoed in contemporary research on cell phone radiation and Wi-Fi exposure. The science demonstrates that concerns about microwave radiation affecting human behavior and mental function have deep historical roots in peer-reviewed research.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: Exposures ranged from minutes to hours for acute effects, with some studies using 30-minute exposures
Study Details
To analyze behavioral and psychological effects of microwave radiation, distinguishing between verifiable physiological reactions and imagined effects, and to evaluate claims of harm from low-level exposure.
Review of experimental literature on biological effects of radiofrequency radiations, including stud...
Verifiable behavioral reactions include convulsions, work stoppage, work decrement, decreased endura...
Verifiable behavioral effects occur at high power densities (>100 mW/cm²) and are thermally dangerous. At lower levels, behavioral evidence of damage decreases rapidly. No behavioral data implicate hazards for animals acutely subjected to fields at average power densities below 1 mW/cm². The attribution of neurasthenia to microwave fields is not supported by evidence. Imaginary effects of microwave radiation, such as claims about airline pilots and video-display terminals, are not substantiated by scientific evidence. The danger from false prophecy and psychological stress from imagined hazards may be greater than actual effects of low-intensity fields.
Show BibTeX
@article{behavioral_and_psychological_effects_of_microwave_radiation_g4658,
author = {Don R. Justesen},
title = {BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MICROWAVE RADIATION},
year = {1979},
}