A nap before retrieval reduces false identifications in target absent lineups.

ABSTRACT: Eyewitness misidentifications are a major cause of wrongful convictions. While most research has focused on the role of sleep in memory encoding and consolidation, recent findings suggest that non-REM sleep may also enhance retrieval processes by restoring executive and monitoring functions. Here, we investigated whether a short nap before retrieval could improve performance in forensic memory tasks. Participants watched an aversive video of a robbery and, after 24 h, either took a 60-minute nap (Sleep group) or stayed awake (Wake group) before completing a series of memory tasks, including face recognition (target-present and target-absent lineups), free recall, context recognition, and temporal order. A nap prior to retrieval selectively reduced false identifications in target-absent lin

SUBMITTER: Bonilla M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12534383 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature