Crick and Mitchinson Reorganisational Theory 1986 Flashcards
Explain the reorganisational theory
Crick and Mitchison famously wrote “We dream in order to forget”. They devised the reorganisational theory which suggests the main function of our dreams is to make the most of our abilities to store memories. Crick and Mitchison believes there’s a limit on the storage capacity in our brains and so some memories are forgotten overnight so we can run efficiently. They suggested that sleeping and dreaming assists the mind in processing, reprogramming and remembering information of the day. This is known as the theory of information consolidation where we get rid of useless memories and keep useful ones during REM sleep. They identified two types of memories; adaptive memories which are memories which are useful and parasitic memories that lead to obsessions and compulsive behaviour. Our brain can become overloaded so parasitic memories are deleted, as these are activated dreams are produced.
How does Crick and Mitchinson link to other research?
To link research, Crick and Mitchison looked at other species that lack REM sleep; the echidna and two species of dolphin. These animals have larger brains than may be expected for their bodies.Researchers concluded that getting rid of useless memories allows for smaller and more efficient brains in other species.
They also linked research into computers. They ran network computer models of learning and found that storage systems became overloaded and that reverse learning by deleting memories solved this. The models acted in repetitive and random ways which researchers compared to human obsessions and hallucinations.
What are some implications of Crick and Mitchison?
The reorganisational theory can be applied to primary insomnia sufferers who showed marked decreases in cognitive skills. Tasks such as concentration, memory tests and problem solving were all affected by insomnia. This implies that because many people suffer from insomnia that the theory could lead to help for individuals who work night shifts.
What did Crick and Mitchison conclude?
They concluded that support can be found for how sleep impacts upon memory and in particular the transfer of long term memories. More research with humans is required so that findings can be further supported. However, research on sleep deprivation and night shift work found a serious decline in cognitive abilities once sleep was disrupted from a normal routine.
What are two strengths of Crick and Mitchison’s theory?
It gives a clear theory as to the importance of REM sleep. It establishes the purpose of dreams and making memory more efficient which makes for better use of the available space in the brain.
Heber et al 2004 found that slow wave sleep can increase forms of learning by up to 25%. This is a strength as it shows experimental support for the function of sleep and cognitive reorganisation.
What are two weaknesses of Crick and Mitchison?
More research has concluded that sleep consolidates rather than deletes memories. This is a weakness as the questions areas of the theory as there is no evidence of dreams helping with deleting obsessive or traumatic thoughts.
The theory is based upon computer models of memory which run differently from real human cognition. This is a weakness as the human brain is more complex, requires physical restoration and processes information based on its meaning.
