Sid is taking part in research on the effects of sleep deprivation; he has been without sleep for 75 hours. Right now researchers have asked him to sit in front of a computer screen and hit a button each time he sees the letter S on the screen. A few days ago, Sid was a whiz at this task; however, he is doing very poorly today. How are sleep researchers likely to explain Sid's poor performance?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sleep deprivation can lead to impairments in learning, attention, and reaction time. Sid's poor performance on the task is likely due to his accumulated sleep debt, meaning the lack of sleep he has experienced over the past 75 hours is affecting his cognitive function. The other options presented are not supported by evidence and are unlikely explanations for Sid's poor performance.

Sid Is Taking Part in Research on the Effects of Sleep