How Sleep and Rewards Affect Memory
Author Information
Author(s): Tucker Matthew A., Tang Sunny X., Uzoh Amaka, Morgan Alexandra, Stickgold Robert
Primary Institution: Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
Sleep would benefit visual declarative memory more than wake regardless of when it occurs in the 24 hr interval, and monetary reward would benefit memory at 12 hr retest and 24 hrs following training.
Conclusion
Sleep provides a significant benefit to memory retention, even more so than monetary rewards.
Supporting Evidence
- Sleep significantly reduces memory forgetting compared to wakefulness.
- Monetary rewards enhance motivation but do not provide as strong a memory benefit as sleep.
- Sleep protects memories from deterioration during subsequent wakefulness.
Takeaway
Getting a good night's sleep helps you remember things better than just trying hard, even if you are promised money for doing well.
Methodology
The study used a factorial design to examine the effects of sleep and reward on memory performance in 152 Harvard undergraduates using a visual paired associates task.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from self-reported measures of sleepiness and motivation.
Limitations
The study may not generalize beyond the specific conditions tested, such as the type of memory task and the demographic of participants.
Participant Demographics
152 Harvard undergraduates (62 males, 90 females, mean age 20.0±1.7 yrs).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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