“Sleep Improves Memory: the Effect of Sleep on Long
Journal Article Critique of
“Sleep Improves Memory: The Effect of Sleep on Long
Term Memory in Early Adolescence”
Comprehension
Purpose
The Purpose of “Sleep Improves Memory: The Effect of Sleep on Long Term Memory in Early Adolescence” by Katya Trudeau Potkin, Willsiam E. Bunney, JR was to assign the selected students to sleep and no sleep conditions and compare tested results about adolescents on how getting sleep and not enough sleep could affect the memory. The results were an increase of 20.6% in long-term memory (Figure 1) was found as measured by the number correct in the paired-associate test following sleep, compared to the groups which was tested at the same time interval, but without sleep.
Results/Conclusion
The study showed that older adults performance did not improve following sleep. Sleep dependent memory consolidation decreases with age. Lack of sleep can cause the subject to not be able to reach his or her full potential on “cognitive performance” which was not observed in the sample (4).
Analysis and Evaluation
Strengths
One of the strengths was that the groups tested were divided into two groups, “Twenty females and twenty male adolescents” (1). I feel that it was evenly distributed to find out if it affected male or female differently. Each subject had a better experience of testing with the comfort of his or her home and was able to eat a good meal before testing. Subjects were asked about how good of nights rest did they get and most of the answers were good to very good which made the testing a little bit more accurate. The students were also given the test over the weekends and school breaks inside a quiet room, away from all distractions. The sleep group’s mean age was 12.9 compared to 12.4 for the non-sleep group (t= (1.52), df (1,38), p =0.14). (See Table 1 for demographic characteristics and performance scores). There was no statistically significant sex difference in performance for either task (2).
The test used to
“Sleep Improves Memory: The Effect of Sleep on Long
Term Memory in Early Adolescence”
Comprehension
Purpose
The Purpose of “Sleep Improves Memory: The Effect of Sleep on Long Term Memory in Early Adolescence” by Katya Trudeau Potkin, Willsiam E. Bunney, JR was to assign the selected students to sleep and no sleep conditions and compare tested results about adolescents on how getting sleep and not enough sleep could affect the memory. The results were an increase of 20.6% in long-term memory (Figure 1) was found as measured by the number correct in the paired-associate test following sleep, compared to the groups which was tested at the same time interval, but without sleep.
Results/Conclusion
The study showed that older adults performance did not improve following sleep. Sleep dependent memory consolidation decreases with age. Lack of sleep can cause the subject to not be able to reach his or her full potential on “cognitive performance” which was not observed in the sample (4).
Analysis and Evaluation
Strengths
One of the strengths was that the groups tested were divided into two groups, “Twenty females and twenty male adolescents” (1). I feel that it was evenly distributed to find out if it affected male or female differently. Each subject had a better experience of testing with the comfort of his or her home and was able to eat a good meal before testing. Subjects were asked about how good of nights rest did they get and most of the answers were good to very good which made the testing a little bit more accurate. The students were also given the test over the weekends and school breaks inside a quiet room, away from all distractions. The sleep group’s mean age was 12.9 compared to 12.4 for the non-sleep group (t= (1.52), df (1,38), p =0.14). (See Table 1 for demographic characteristics and performance scores). There was no statistically significant sex difference in performance for either task (2).
The test used to
Cited: Potkin KT, Bunney WE Jr. “Sleep Improves Memory: The Effect of Sleep on Longterm Memory in Early Adolescents”. Plos one 7.8 (August 2012): 1-4. Academic Search Complete PsycINFO. EBSCO. Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC. 28 Feb 2013