Proposed Hypotheses - Cognitive functioning is effected more by sleep deprivation than by food deprivation.

Formulate a hypothesis , propose the best way to test it and explain why you would carry out your experiment that particular way. come up with a hypothesis and a proposal as cool and unique as each of you are!

 

Is cognitive functioning effected more by sleep deprivation than by food deprivation?

It is well known that both sleep and food deprivation effects our cognitive performance, there are many studies out there that prove that. The question that I would like to further investigate is if sleep is more important than food to produce optimal performance in cognitive function.

 

 

The best way I propose to testing this theory is the following process.

First I would do some Archival Research. This form of research that entails looking at existing data to discover what is already known regarding my hypotheses. 

The additional experimentation detailed below would each be done repeatedly with different control groups under the following three conditions over set length of time;

1. Subjects will be neither sleep nor food deprived,

2. Subjects will be food deprived,

3. Subjects will be sleep deprived.

The testing under settings described in condition 1 would be to provide me with a baseline to see which one of the deprivations,  sleep deprivation or food deprivation would make the results deviate the most from their unaffected full cognitive functioning. 

Following the initial discovery from the archival research I propose to implement Naturalistic Observation over time to watch and study change in general behavior due to the deprivations. This would best be carried out remotely and hidden so as not to produce Observer Effect  - a change in natural behavior in the test subjects. 

I would then like to follow up with standard cognitive testing over set time and intervals also under the 3 conditions described above.  

 

This method is best for the experimental phase since  it provides me with the opportunities to submit each test group to both sleep deprivation and food deprivation separately and then submitting them to standardized cognitive testing in all 3 conditions, thus allowing me to ascertain how the individuals are effected and by which deprivation they are effected more and by how far they have deviated from the baseline supplied by the testing under the circumstances put forth above in condition 1.

To perhaps take this hypotheses and experiment one step further I would employ a Correlational Study to carry out further comparison on groups segregated by age and gender to ascertain the relation between age or gender and the effect of deprivation.  I would then be able to conclude based on my research, at what stage in life sleep and/or food would play the most important role in our optimal cognitive function, and if men and women are effected in the same way at the same ages.