While several recent studies have found that a post-encoding period of quiet, eyes-closed waking rest benefits memory consolidation, others have reported null effects. To more precisely estimate this effect, we conducted a quasi-exact behavioural replication of a recent study from our lab, which found that post-training eyes-closed waking rest improved declarative memory relative to a distractor task. Contrary to our hypothesis, the observed effect was not significant; however, it did fall within the 95% confidence interval of our previous finding. Furthermore, a meta-analytic effect summarizing n = 10 similar studies indicates a moderately sized and significant benefit of waking rest for verbal memory (d = 0.38, p < 0.001). We argue that the apparently conflicting results in this literature are most parsimoniously explained by variability due to sampling and/or measurement error, in a group of studies often underpowered to detect a smaller-than-expected effect of rest. Additionally, exploratory analyses revealed that increased trait daydreaming frequency negatively correlated with memory retention during eyes-closed rest. Together with our replication and meta-analysis, these studies suggest that waking rest confers a small but significant benefit on memory consolidation, and that this benefit requires the mind to be free from attention to either external tasks or spontaneous thought.
CITATION STYLE
Humiston, G. B., Tucker, M. A., Summer, T., & Wamsley, E. J. (2019). Resting States and Memory Consolidation: A Preregistered Replication and Meta-Analysis. Scientific Reports, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56033-6
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