BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS OF MICROWAVES

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 2  (1) , 49-58
Abstract
Microwaves can produce sensations of warmth and sound in humans. In other species, they can serve as cues, they may be avoided and they can disrupt ongoing behavior. These actions appear to be due to heat produced by energy absorption. The rate of absorption depends on microwave parameters and electrical and geometric properties of the subject. Human response to microwaves cannot be predicted based on data from other animals without appropriate scaling considerations. At low levels of exposure, microwaves produce changes in behavior without large or measureable changes in body temperature. Thermoregulatory behavior may respond to those low levels of heat and affect other behavior occurring concurrently. There are no data that demonstrate that behavioral effects of microwaves depend on any mechanism other than reactions to heat. Interpretation of whether a reported behavioral effect indicates that microwaves may be hazardous depends on having a complete description of experiment and criteria of behavioral toxicity.

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