The Art of Rest

Question 1

What positive effects can rest almost immediately have?

Answer 1

Helps memory, concentration, immune system, insulin production

Question 2

What did Kim et al (2017) find about micro breaks?

Answer 2

Micro breaks can make a big difference
Found looking out window, shutting eyes, make a drink even hour after attention still higher and better mood at the end of the day

Question 3

What did Dewar et al (2012, 2014) find relating to micro breaks?

Answer 3

Got people to memorise lists of words and see how many can recall 10 mins later
One condition memorised words then other tasks for 10 mins then recalled
Other condition break in dark room where just sat for 10 mins
Recalled significantly more in break condition
Also did with people with amnesia (have trouble making memories now, so get about 14% of words right), if have 10 min break, remember 49% of words… huge difference

Question 4

What did Bellezza (2017) find when studying what people thought about status?

Answer 4

Fictional character Sally Fisher
Two versions – one busy Sally, other less busy Sally
People thought busy Sally was faster worker, better at multitasking, had a better job
Giovanni (Italy) or Jeff (America) in one condition worked long hours, other free time – American pts thought hard-working more successful, Italian thought free time must be most successful

Question 5

What is the planning fallacy?

Answer 5

When we plan things, we think we can get things done in a shorter time than we can

Question 6

What evidence supports the fact we are better to forgive procrastination than feel guilty about it?

Answer 6

Those who forgave for not revising were more likely to revise for next exam, shows self-compassion needed

Question 7

What effect is found if you write a to-do list before bed?

Answer 7

Get to sleep faster as cognitive offloading everything in head

Question 8

How many pts, and from how many countries, took part in “The Rest Test”?

Answer 8

18,000 pts from 193 countries

Question 9

What did The Rest Test find when comparing rest between men and women?

Answer 9

More men believe they get less rest than the average person…
But when asked how much rest they got the day before, men got average of 10 mins more rest than women

Question 10

On average in The Rest Test, who were the least rested group?

Answer 10

Younger, working, traditional full-time hours or in shift-work that included nights. More likely to have higher incomes or to be carers

Question 11

On average in The Rest Test, who were the most rested group?

Answer 11

Older, lower incomes, unemployed, retired or working split shifts and slightly more likely to be men than women

Question 12

What did people say when asked how much rest they thought they got compared to the average person?
What percentage of people said rest was guilt-inducing or stressful?

Answer 12

27% said they thought they got less
44% said they thought they got the same
28% said they thought they got more
9% said stressful

Question 13

What three activities were young people more likely to say they find restful?

Answer 13

Daydreaming, sex, hot baths

Question 14

What did The Rest Test conclude the top five things people find restful are?

Answer 14

1. Reading
2. Being in natural environment
3. Being on your own
4. Listening to music
5. Doing nothing in particular

Question 15

What percentage of people said they found physically exerting their bodies restful?

Answer 15

38% put going for a walk
8% put running

Question 16

Explain a study into what people chose to do with their spare time (electric shocks)

Answer 16

people had bracelet round foot where had electric shock, only people who said would pay $5 not to have another one went to next bit, had to sit for 15 in room with own thoughts, only thing could do is shock self again… 25% women, 71% of men gave self at least 1 electric shock, in 15 mins one man shocked himself 191 times

Question 17

Describe Herlbert (2016) study into descriptive experience sampling

Answer 17

Do activities (daily life) then beeped, have to write down what the thought was you were having before the beep
Get better at this… could you hear thought? Where was it in mind? Etc.

Question 18

What did Radcliffe and Korpeller (2017) find when they asked people to mark their favourite and least favourite places on a map?

Answer 18

Least favourite places like bus stops
Fave places depended on mood… if good mood chose home as fave place, in bad mood chose nature

Question 19

What is meant by the Overview effect?

Answer 19

Nature seems to put things into perspective for us, people lived in spacestation always look out window at Earth seems to have extraordinary effect, see Earth as small; and precious, puts own life into perspective