Countless anecdotes report sleep-assisted insight, or sudden solving of previously vexing problems. Prior research indicates that both sudden insight solutions (Wagner et al., 2004) and restructured memory (Ellenbogen et al., 2007) benefit from periods of sleep, possibly dependent on the same sleep- dependent processes (Stickgold & Walker, 2013). The proposed project adapts a recently developed memory paradigm that selectively enhances sleep-related memory consolidation to manipulate the incubation of problems during slow wave sleep. Thus, we can make more direct causal inferences about the sleep stages and processes that support incubation and subsequent solving of insight-like problems. If successful, the targeted incubation paradigm will provide a method for facilitating problem solving and for further investigating mechanisms and interactions of problem incubation and memory. The primary aim of the project is to test whether sleep facilitates problem solving through reactivation and restructuring of the problem representation during sleep. We test this by adapting the targeted memory reactivation paradigm developed by co-investigator Paller (e.g., Rudoy et al., 2009). Each participant engages in an evening and morning session for 5 days. Each evening session, participants attempt to solve a set of difficult insight-like problems, until 4 problems remain unsolved. The problems presented on any given day are distinctive by content, type, and modality (spatial versus verbal, etc.). During these evening sessions, each problem attempt is paired with a distinctive sound. Overnight, participants' sleep will be monitored with a portable EEG system capable of detecting sleep stages (particularly slow wave sleep). The sound cues for half the unsolved problems will be presented during slow wave sleep phases, triggering reactivation (Antony ... Paller, et al., 2012). The following morning, participants will re-attempt all the unsolved problems; we predict they solve more problems that were targeted with sound cues during sleep, because memory reactivation permits restructuring necessary to solve such problems. Follow-up experiments will examine other sleep stages, problem types, and the pre-sleep processing necessary for successful incubation. This study is novel and transformative, generating a novel paradigm for research and for facilitating problem solving in the real world. If successful, it will lead to a new program of research that promises t illuminate the important role of sleep in problem solving and in cognition generally, as well as mechanisms of interactions between memory and problem solving.
Sleep is important for neurological and psychological health, as well as memory processes and the incubation stage of problem solving, perhaps through a common mechanisms. The proposed project tests whether targeted memory reactivation during specific sleep stages enhances solving of previously presented problems. The research could lead to a method for facilitating creative problem solving, and to better understanding the mechanisms involved.
| Paller, Ken A (2017) Sleeping in a Brave New World: Opportunities for Improving Learning and Clinical Outcomes through Targeted Memory Reactivation. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 26:532-537 |
