Based on the experimental conditions described below, analyze and predict the most likely change in Participant B's sleep pattern on Night 3 compared to their normal, undisturbed sleep. Justify your prediction by explaining the underlying biological principle at work.

Sleep Deprivation Experiment Analysis

The phenomenon of REM rebound, where individuals compensate for lost REM sleep by spending more time in that stage during subsequent sleep, indicates that REM sleep is homeostatically regulated.

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REM rebound is the phenomenon where an individual, after being specifically deprived of REM sleep, will spend a significantly longer duration in the REM stage during subsequent undisturbed sleep periods. This compensatory increase in REM sleep suggests an effort to recover the lost time in this particular sleep stage.

REM Rebound

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Homeostatic Regulation of REM Sleep

In individuals who are not depressed, REM rebound may function as an adaptive mechanism for coping with stress. This process is thought to help by reducing the emotional significance of negative experiences that occurred while awake.

REM Rebound as an Adaptive Response to Stress

Analyze the following scenario and predict the most likely outcome for the participant's sleep on the second night. Explain the principle that accounts for this outcome.

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