Researchers at Michigan State University conducted a large study to explore the impact of sleep deprivation on higher-order cognitive processes.
Previous research has shown how sleep deprivation can impair a person’s ability to follow a procedure and maintain attention. The new study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, is the first of its kind to assess how sleep deprivation impacts ‘placekeeping’ – or, the ‘ability to complete a series of steps without losing one’s place, despite potential interruptions.’
The study found that when sleep deprived, participants were twice as likely to make placekeeping errors, and showed three times as many lapses in attention.
