8A- the effects of partial sleep deprivation

Question 1

partial sleep deprivation

Answer 1

the experience of achieving inadequate sleep in terms of quantity or quality

Question 2

affective functioning

Answer 2

a person’s experience of their emotions

Question 3

behavioural functioning

Answer 3

a person’s observable actions

Question 4

cognitive functioning

Answer 4

a person’s mental processing

Question 5

blood alcohol concentration BAC

Answer 5

the percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream

Question 6

contrast sleep quantity and sleep quality

Answer 6

sleep quantity refers to the duration of sleep/number of hours slept
sleep quality refers to how well you sleep— how restful your sleep is, or if you were woken up etc

Question 7

what factors can contribute to sleep deprivation?

Answer 7

consuming caffeine, food, drugs or alcohol
work or school requirements
failing to wind down before bed
stress
medical conditions
an uncomfortable sleeping environment
social influences.

Question 8

What is partial sleep deprivation?

Answer 8

Partial sleep deprivation is the experience of achieving inadequate sleep in terms of quantity or quality.

Question 9

Identify one example of a change to affective, behavioural and cognitive functioning due to partial sleep deprivation.

Answer 9

Affective functioning - increased irritability, harder to regulate/control emotions

Behavioural functioning - increase lateness to school or work/ accident prone

Cognitive functioning - decreased concentration/trouble with memory

Question 10

list some cognitive functioning issues that may arise when sleep deprived

Answer 10

trouble with memory
decreased alertness
poor concentration
impaired problem solving, decision making
poor judgement
lack of motivation
trouble coping with change or stress
difficulty learning new concepts
slower thinking
a shortened attention span.

Question 11

what is the legal BAC for driving a car?

Answer 11

under 0.05%

Question 12

what happens if BAC is higher than the legal limit?

Answer 12

it has negative and detrimental effects on a persons functioning including affective and cognitive.
these negative impacts increase as BAC increases
it should be important to note that 0.05 is a level deemed ‘safe;’ induced ASC does not wait for the legal limit.

Question 13

contrast partial sleep deprivation and total sleep deprivation

Answer 13

partial sleep deprivation is when a person does get some sleep within a 24 hour period, but the quantity is either too low or the sleep quality is poor.
total or full sleep deprivation consists of going without sleep for a 24 hour period

Question 14

what are some psychological affective effects of sleep deprivation?

Answer 14

irritability
heightened anxiety
depressed
confusion
lack of motivation

Question 15

what are some psychological behavioural effects of sleep deprivation?

Answer 15

slowed reaction times
more likely to engage in risk taking behaviour
difficulty performing simple and monotonous tasks
reduced motor control

Question 16

what are some psychological cognitive effects of sleep deprivation?

Answer 16

reduced ability to maintain attention and concentration
reduced ability to cope with stress
hallucinations
impaired memory
decreased ability to think creatively

Question 17

what are some physiological behavioural effects of sleep deprivation

Answer 17

lack of energy
hand tremors
headaches
muscle aches

Question 18

what is 17 hours of sleep deprivation equivalent too?

Answer 18

a BAC of 0.05% or 2 beverages

Question 19

what is 24 hours of sustained wakefulness equivalent to?

Answer 19

a BAC of 0.10% or 5 beverages

Question 20

what was the study conducted involving sleep deprivation?

Answer 20

Dawson and Reid were 2 Australian psychologists who conducted an experiment in 1997.
it aimed to investigate whether being significantly sleep deprived (through being awake and not going to sleep) could affect a person’s cognitive functioning to a similar extent that being (at or over the legal limit) drunk did.

Question 21

what was the experimental study of sleep deprivation

Answer 21

The Effect of one night of full Sleep Deprivation on consciousness compared with the effect of Legal Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BAC)

Question 22

outline the Dawson and Reid experiment (1997)

Answer 22

Dawson and Reid (1997) conducted a study where patients had to be sleep deprived for one full night (‘sustained wakefulness’).
When these patients attempted a cognitive task, they performed very poorly – to the extent that their performance actually resembled that of someone with a Blood Alcohol Concentration level of 0.05%.
These same participants (within) were used in the alcohol condition of the experiment- and they consumed alcohol until they reached a BAC of 0.10%
In both conditions, participants showed a decline in performance on cognitive tasks like hand eye coordination, concentration, selective attention and decision making

Question 23

what did the Dawson and Reid experiment show?

Answer 23

This showed the impact that moderate sleep deprivation could have on a person’s ability to function or complete tasks to a safe and acceptable standard.
Dawson and Reid conducted a follow-up study and found that the results were consistent with their first study.

Question 24

what were the main results and findings of the Dawson and Reid experiment?

Answer 24

• Dawson & Reid (1997) found that performance on a variety of cognitive and psychomotor performance after 17 hours of sleep deprivation had decreased to a level that was similar to a person with a BAC level of 0.05% (the legal limit in Australia).
• After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, their cognitive and psychomotor performance declined further and now resembled that of a person who had a BAC of 0.10% (which is twice the legal limit).

Question 25

conclusions and implications of Dawson and Reid’s (1997) experimental findings

Answer 25

• This study highlights that sleep deprivation has significant cognitive effects on how we perform in cognitive tasks and psychomotor tasks
  (e.g.
  by impairing our processes related to attention, thinking, reasoning, decision making, hand-eye coordination and even reaction time
• The findings of this study also prompted the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) to establish many new campaigns to not just focus of drink-driving but to
  also raise awareness on the importance of not driving while sleep-deprived, encouraging drivers to take a ‘powernap’
  if they felt drowsy at the wheel.

Question 26

Compare features of behavioural functioning and cognitive functioning.

Answer 26

Behavioural functioning is the observable actions of a person, whereas cognitive functioning is a person’s mental processing.

Question 27

With reference to an example, explain the effect of partial sleep deprivation on the affective functioning of a Year 7 teacher.

Answer 27

A Year 7 teacher who is partially sleep deprived may have difficulty regulating their emotions compared to usual. For example, they may be irritable in class.

Question 28

identify an example of each type of functioning that is impaired by sleep deprivation.

Answer 28

Affective functioning - emotional breakdown

Behavioural functioning - incoherent speech, false confessions

Cognitive functioning - disordered and irrational thought, false memory, hallucinations

Question 29

With reference to cognitive functioning, explain why it is unjust for a prisoner to be interrogated while sleep deprived.

Answer 29

Sleep deprivation can result in distorted thinking, memory and perception, so the prisoner may not be able to respond accurately to questioning, possibly falsely confessing and admitting to something they did not do.

Question 30

Explain why research into the comparison between BAC level and sleep deprivation may be useful for a community.

Answer 30

People should know that 17 hours of sustained wakefulness is equivalent to a legal BAC limit for driving of 0.05 and 24 hours of sustained wakefulness is equivalent to an illegal BAC limit for driving of 0.10, in terms of cognitive, concentration and mood effects. It would be useful to help inform people that driving while sleep deprived for 18 hours or more can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.