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Sleep on it, but only if it is difficult: effects of sleep on problem solving

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posted on 2023-06-08, 18:53 authored by Ut Na Sio, Padraic Monaghan, Thomas OrmerodThomas Ormerod
Previous research has shown that performance on problem solving improves over a period of sleep compared to wakefulness. However, these studies have not determined whether sleep is beneficial for problem solving or whether sleep merely mitigates against interference due to an interruption to solution attempts. Sleep-dependent improvements have been described in terms of spreading-activation, which raises the prediction that an effect of sleep should be greater for problems requiring a broader solution search. We presented participants with a set of remote associates tasks that varied in difficulty as a function of the strength of the stimuli-answer associations. After a period of sleep, wake, or no-delay, participants reattempted previously unsolved problems. The sleep group solved more difficult problems than the other groups, but no difference was found for easy problems. We conclude that sleep facilitates problem solving, most likely via spreading activation, but this has its primary effect for harder problems.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Memory and Cognition

ISSN

0090-502X

Publisher

Springer-Verlag

Issue

2

Volume

41

Page range

159 - 166

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Notes

The original publication is available at http://link.springer.com/article/10.3758\/s13421-012-0256-7

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-11-06

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2014-11-06

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2014-11-06

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