Cognitive Approach to Sleep: Memory and Problem-Solving

The Cognitive Approach to Sleep

Definition/Explanation:

The cognitive approach views sleep as something that facilitates information processing. Sleep is used to secure information gathered during the day in long-term memory. Memories and learning are moved to long-term storage during sleep.

According to the cognitive approach, dreams are not meaningless. In fact, they are essential points of our problem-solving process and allow information to be synthesized and recombined to gain insight.

Domhoff (2011) argued that dreams are what occur when the mind doesn't have anything else to do. During the day, we daydream, but during the night, we aren't in control, and our dreams seem more vivid and engrossing. He believes that dreams are mental processes and therefore will vary depending on inputs. If stressed, you are more likely to have anxiety dreams. You may literally dream about things you've encountered that day.

Evaluation

• Walker et al. (2005) supported the idea that sleep can improve performance on cognitive tasks. They trained people in how to complete a variety of cognitive tasks and then tested them after a period of time. They found that those who slept post-training performed better than others. The same study found that sleep didn't only improve the accuracy of a finger-tapping task but also the speed. This suggests that it does facilitate and speed up information processing.
• Stickgold (2009) supported the idea that memory is connected to sleep. He found that there was a direct link between memory retention and sleep. Sleep enhanced all types of memory but had the greatest impact on those memories with a medium memory trace rather than those with a stronger or weaker trace.
• Huber et al. (2004) supported the link between sleep and learning. They showed that after certain types of learning, slow-wave sleep (SWS) increased up to 25%, and increased time in SWS improved performance on certain types of cognitive tasks.
• Saehnhagen et al. (2015) supported the idea that sleep improves recall of skills. They found that when babies were learning a new skill or action, those who took a nap recalled the skill better than those who did not.
• Vertes (2004) opposed the idea that sleep is responsible for memory consolidation. They argued that it's actually time away from a task that has this effect and that a 4-6 hour break has roughly the same impact as a night's sleep.
• McNamara (2012) opposed the idea that dreams are connected to problem-solving. They argued that most dreams appear to have little relevance to everyday life and that they can also be totally random. If they were connected to problem-solving, why are they so easily forgotten?

Analysis

• Cartwright (1984) sees dreams as essential to the problem-solving process. He argues that they directly represent our inner emotional states and represent the brain processing how best to deal with them. Cartwright found that couples having difficulties in their marriage often have dreams connected to their waking coping strategies.
• Cognitive theory supports the idea of "sleeping on it." Going to sleep when facing a tricky problem and making a decision in the morning. This cognitive theory suggests that key processing occurs during the night, allowing us to make a better decision after sleep.
• The cognitive approach to sleep suggests that rather than being a waste of time, sleep is, in fact, a vital part of the learning process. Rather than pulling an all-nighter, students studying for an important exam should study instead at a reasonable hour and then trust that their memories will consolidate overnight.
• Nusbaum, Margoliash, and Fenn (2003) demonstrated that not only does sleep improve performance on a task, but if someone stays awake and then sleeps later, their performance will improve to the levels of those who slept immediately. This suggests that sleep can somehow refind lost memories and even inoculate someone against future memory loss.