Sid Is Taking Part in Research on the Effects of Sleep

question 37

Multiple Choice

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?

• A) Due to the sleep deprivation, Sid does not understand the task.
• B) He has accumulated a "sleep debt" that impedes his learning, attention, and reaction time.
• C) He is will most likely ruin the research because of the suffering he is enduring at the hands of the researchers.
• D) He is probably dreaming that he is somewhere else and has no interest in responding to the "here and now."

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Definitions:

Initiations

The process of beginning something, such as a new project, relationship, or phase.

Selective Group

A specific group chosen based on designated criteria to serve a particular purpose or to conduct a study.

Nonexperimental Design

A research approach that lacks the manipulation of an independent variable, making it difficult to determine cause and effect relationships.

Causation

The act or process of causing something to happen or exist; the relationship between cause and effect.