Reactivating cue approached positive personality traits during sleep promotes positive self-referential processing.
Ziqing Yao1, Tao Xia1, Jinwen Wei2
1Department of Psychology and The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Iscience
|July 26, 2024
Summary
This study shows that combining wakeful cue-approach training (CAT) with sleep-based targeted memory reactivation (TMR) enhances positive self-perception. This approach strengthens positive self-referential processing and memory for positive traits.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Individuals exhibit a positivity self-referential bias, favoring positive personality traits.
- Enhancing positive self-perception is crucial for psychological well-being.
- Integrating wakeful training with sleep memory consolidation offers a novel approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate methods for enhancing positive self-referential processing.
- To examine the combined effects of cue-approach training (CAT) and targeted memory reactivation (TMR) during sleep.
- To explore the neural correlates, specifically slow traveling waves (STW), of these enhancements.
Main Methods:
- Participants engaged in a cue-approach training (CAT) task, responding to positive personality traits.
- Trained positive traits were unobtrusively re-presented during subsequent slow-wave sleep via targeted memory reactivation (TMR).
- Brain activity, particularly 1-4 Hz slow traveling waves (STW), was analyzed in relation to behavioral outcomes.
Main Results:
- The combined CAT+TMR intervention improved speed in endorsing positive traits immediately after training.
- Participants showed increased self-endorsement of positive traits one week post-intervention.
- Enhancements correlated with the directionality of cue-related slow traveling waves (STW), with backward STW showing positive associations.
Conclusions:
- Integrated wakeful cue-approach training and sleep-based memory reactivation effectively strengthen positive self-referential processing.
- The directionality of slow traveling waves during sleep plays a role in consolidating these positive self-perceptions.
- This combined approach holds potential for interventions aimed at improving self-esteem and positive bias.
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