Dr. Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist at UC Berkeley, claims that sleep deprivation significantly impairs cognitive function and decision-making. His research team has studied hundreds of participants to measure the effects of reduced sleep on mental performance.
Which finding from Walker's research would most effectively support his claim?
Most participants reported feeling tired after only 4 hours of sleep
Brain scans showed that all participants had similar brain structures
Participants preferred completing tasks in the morning rather than evening
Participants who slept 4 hours showed 40% more errors on problem-solving tasks than those who slept 8 hours
Correct Answer: D
Choice D is the best answer. This provides quantifiable evidence (40% more errors) directly linking sleep deprivation to impaired cognitive performance.
- Context clues: The claim is about impaired "cognitive function and decision-making."
- Evidence evaluation: Problem-solving errors measure cognitive function directly.
- Verify: Comparing 4-hour vs 8-hour groups isolates the sleep variable.
💡 Strategy: Objective, measurable data is stronger than subjective reports.
Choice A is incorrect because feeling tired is subjective and doesn't measure actual cognitive impairment. Choice B is incorrect because brain structure similarity doesn't address performance effects. Choice C is incorrect because time-of-day preference is unrelated to sleep deprivation's effects.