Leiden University Student Repository

Es, Sven van (2022)

The influence of age and sleep on visuo spatial working memory.

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

Our visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM), a cognitive component responsible for wayfinding and arithmetical challenges, is negatively related to aging according to prior studies. At the same time, aging is related to a decrease in sleep quality. However, the triangular relation of these three variables is unknown. This current research aims to identify the direct relation between VSWM and age and sleep. Additionally, we tested if the relation between VSWM and age can indirectly be explained by sleep duration and sleep variability. Finally, the explorative part of the study looked at the effect that sleep duration the night before testing has on VSWM performance. Unique about this study is the use of tappigraphy as a measure for sleep. Tappigraphy is a naturalistic way of deriving data from people’s smartphone touches, allowing for the calculation of sleep duration and variability. The study included 151 participants, 99 for the explorative analysis, who installed an app on their...Show moreOur visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM), a cognitive component responsible for wayfinding and arithmetical challenges, is negatively related to aging according to prior studies. At the same time, aging is related to a decrease in sleep quality. However, the triangular relation of these three variables is unknown. This current research aims to identify the direct relation between VSWM and age and sleep. Additionally, we tested if the relation between VSWM and age can indirectly be explained by sleep duration and sleep variability. Finally, the explorative part of the study looked at the effect that sleep duration the night before testing has on VSWM performance. Unique about this study is the use of tappigraphy as a measure for sleep. Tappigraphy is a naturalistic way of deriving data from people’s smartphone touches, allowing for the calculation of sleep duration and variability. The study included 151 participants, 99 for the explorative analysis, who installed an app on their smartphone (tappigraphy measure) and additionally had to complete a VSWM performance task (Corsiblock task). The analysis confirmed the negative relation between age and VSWM, but did not find a relation between sleep duration, variability and sleep the night before testing and VSWM. Additionally, no mediating effect of sleep on the relation between age and VSWM was found. In conclusion, while age and VSWM seemed related the sleep variables of current study did not show any relation to VSWM. This could be partially be explained by the limitations of this study. Future research should focus on constructs of sleep that do not deviate much from current literature. Plus, future research should aim to validate tappigraphy for an older population.Show less

visuo-spatial working memory

VSWM

age

sleep duration

sleep variability

tappigraphy

Author

Es, Sven van

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Applied Cognitive Psychology

Supervisors

Band, G.P.H.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

nl